Make Art: Alexandra Leonetti, Artist at Home
Alexandra Leonetti is a recent graduate of the Angel Academy of Art, Florence. She will be starting her MFA at Radford University this fall.
I am an artist whose influences are from the classical period. The Dutch masters of the 17th century Golden Age have mostly, amongst others, guided my style with their traditional approach to painting. Some of the subject material of these masters, specifically in their landscapes and still lifes, spark memories that can connect us to our past; where we are from and who we are. These objects and snapshots of time can be representative of our lives. Realism, naturalism, and romanticism are words that connect me to a style I desire to paint. I’ve often read the criticism that “the still life genre is generally thought to be devoid of narrative.” It is my belief that when one looks beyond the metaphors and showy artistic tricks, a certain personal, deeper meaning comes into focus.
Not every still life I’ve worked on has a deeper meaning though; sometimes I just want to paint a pretty picture. There are times when you just have to put the paint on the canvas and go to town. I keep my technique sharp with small studies, color exercises, and alla prima (wet-on-wet direct painting). One of my newfound activities is painting animals. I am an animal advocate and find it fun to break up the time during long, sustained projects to pop out a few pet portrait commissions.
Right now in my career, the style of painting that motivates me calls for a strong base in the fundamentals of art and oil painting. As an artist I also understand that I have a right and possibly an obligation to change my mind, to change my focus, to change my style if I feel I want something else from my paintings. The journey as an artist is a long road. I am looking forward to continuing this journey in the Radford Graduate program. Will it lead me somewhere else? Will it take me down new paths? I can only hope so.
For anyone interested in the Method of the Masters, there are classes now available online through academies such as Grand Central Atelier (New York), Academy of Realist Art (Boston), and Barnes Atelier (London). These are open to all levels and are incredibly informative.
For more information, visit AlexandraLeonettiArt.com for her collection of work.