Stephanie McLeod

Painter

Born in 1946 and growing up in Monterey, California, I grew to be a very creative person with interests in Genealogy, Archaeology, and science besides art. From my earliest years, I felt a need to express myself, whether it was dancing, sewing, crocheting hats or sewing clothes, or roaming the beaches looking for seashells to make jewelry. Using my mind and my hands to express myself came naturally since my grandfather was an architect and a builder and my mother, a very good artist. I also have 3 daughters who ae superb artists. I took an art class in high school and later got an AA in Art at the Monterey Jr. College. Life intervened to put me on hold. Later I got an AA in Nursing Science and became an LVN working at the Merced Community Hospital for 16 years. I dabbled here and there with my art, meanwhile, I married my, Neil McLeod, a leather craftsman. In 1997 I retired due to a Coronary Triple Bypass and went to work with my husband doing fairs. In 2014, we retired and took an art class for Seniors at Merced Jr. College, copying famous artists and was told by the teacher that I was too good for the class and needed to be in a higher art education class.

That put me on a new trail! I knew3 I needed to be pushed to paint! So, I joined the Arbor Gallery who thought my artwork was good enough to show. I have been a member for 4 years and have growing my skills every year. I love color, any color and it reflects in my paintings. The Themed Gallery at the Multicultural Art Center, part of the showcase of the Arbor Gallery is definitely a push for me to try different ideas, especially the Color Themes. I mainly work in acrylic paint and chalk pastel and make earrings for the Holiday showing in November/December. I also help in the various activities that the Arbor Gallery sponsors, like the monthly art classes open to the public for a modest fee and Holiday Open Houses. I am also a very active member of the Baha’i Faith, a world religion, since childhood and try to reflect some of the teachings in my work.

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