Hello,
I'm Leanne 

I am an Australian-American painter based in Central Minnesota. My work explores memory, emotion, and place through evolving conceptual series. My flagship body of work, The Recollection Series, examines my childhood through layered paint, reflection, and storytelling, inviting viewers into intimate moments of connection. Each series I create unfolds organically, guided by an ongoing curiosity about the human experience.

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Umbrae (Um-bray)

The studio name comes from umbra, the root of raw umber, which is the dirt-and-pigment base present in almost every piece I paint. It marks the structural foundation where light, tone, and depth are pulled out of the dark.

• Art History & Classical Painting: The umbra layer in monochromatic underpainting, a master technique used to map composition and separate shadow from light before color touches the canvas.

• Literature & Lore: The shades, ghosts, and lingering memory traces that stay with us.

• Astronomy: The absolute center of an eclipse, representing the deepest and most complete shadow.

• Biology & Botany: The deep shade and dark aquatic zones where specialized life survives and thrives.

To me, Umbrae is a metaphor for exploring the places of time, memory, and the human condition.

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