Tricia Poulos Leonard Artist
I am a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Studio Art. While at UCLA I studied with renowned artist, Richard Diebenkorn, who greatly influenced my development at an artist. I followed my university years with 30 years teaching, counseling and administering in the California public schools. I have been a fulltime artist since retiring in 2007. I have since attended classes with John Salmenin, Robert Burridge, Donna Watson and many other contemporary artists. These classes and my background in Abstract Expressionism have greatly influenced my current painting style.
I have been certified as a Creativity Coach by Eric Maisel and have coached and taught courses in creativity to people interested in expanding their creative inclinations in writing, visual arts, dance, acting, and music. I find that the desire to be creative is a universal human need that is often subverted by society. The artist must be strong to overcome anxiety and self-criticism.
My creativity coaching led to me writing a book, The Artist’s Map to Success, to help aspiring artists establish themselves as professional artists. My book is a 12 Step program of discovery (not recovery) to becoming a successful and selling artist. I give the reader tasks to do at the end of each chapter to guide them through the process of becoming a working artist. I believe the artist who does the work and puts in the time will gain a great sense of fulfilment and an opportunity to earn income as an artist. My book has been a Best Seller on Amazon.
I am also an art teacher and currently teach art classes at my local community college and workshops through local art associations. By exploring the avenues to creativity, my workshop participants expand their awareness of the beauty of life and find an outlet for realizing their dreams.
My teaching and the COVID shutdown have led me to create videos for 3 levels of painting: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. My students who are hesitant to go to a live class can study art in the comfort of their own homes through watching and working with my videos. My latest videos are Specialty Areas such as Water Media Batik Painting and Using tools besides brushes to create artwork.
My own art is abstract or nonobjective. I find this direction exhilarating! It is where I can express my innermost emotions. I hope to reach each viewer through a deeper understanding of the subconscious directions our minds take us. My work can be seen on my website, http://www.triciastudio.com.
I find great joy in creating my art and I would like to inspire others to find that joy. Through focusing on something he or she loves and sharing it with others, a person becomes healthier, happier and whole. By taking my classes and reading my book, the artist will grow in skill and competence and be able to become financially as well as emotionally enriched.