Leah Ynestra. The Artist and the art.
Leah Ynestra, owner of Art By Artseny LLC, is a fine artist and crafter who seeks to glorify God and further enrich the lives of others through the expression of art. This goal is carried out by a plethora of means. She creates encouraging and thought-provoking images through traditional and digital media. She also creates exclusive custom pieces from her clients’ closets and upcycles products from local thrift stores.
Leah’s art is a reflection of her faith and is influenced by the world around her. In her work, she seeks to bring attention to topics that may be polarizing or unknown to the common viewer. Her work allows her audience to be comprised of individuals from diverse experiences while sharing ethnic and religious commonalities.
Though most of her work comes through divine inspiration, she is influenced by the works of Amy Sherald, Brionya James Mathews, and Kehinde Wiley.
As her artistry continues, Leah perfects and shapes her craft through formal education and culturally enriching experiences. The core of her message is the same in all she produces. In some way or another, whether a portrait, custom jacket, or logo design, her work will honor God and enrich the lives of its owner and viewers. She hopes that generations to come will be encouraged by what she has done, take the message, and, with God, go on to influence the masses and change the world through their artistic expressions.
Exhibitions, Education, and Experiences.
Local Artistry Gallery
I was invited to enter a piece for the opening of Local Artistry Gallery, founded by Charie Williams of Uncommon Redesigns Studio. This was my first ever entry into a gallery and first formal sale of an original. The piece was “Ode to Nina”. I am very grateful to Charie for the opportunity to have gained this experience.
Class at the Perry Glass Studio
In the 2022 fall semester at Norfolk State University, I was privileged to be part of the pilot introduction to glassmaking class at the Perry Glass Studio. I was instructed by Julia Rogers and studio assistants. Shoutout to Ember and Jaclyn. Julia and her husband, Robin, are a renowned, dynamic duo in creating and sculpting glass art. They were guest judges featured on the Netflix series “Blown Away”. Through this course, I was allowed to dive headfirst into a new medium. The course was comprised of three parts: glass sculpting in the hot shop, stained glass in the flat shop, and flameworking. In this course, I was able to make several pieces of glass employing the three methods. Toward the end of the course, I was also able to display my pieces and give brief stained glass cutting demonstrations at a fashion show in the Chrysler Museum. This course was one of the many at NSU that allowed me to expand my knowledge and creativity as an artist.
HOT SHOP PROJECT: FOOD
My closing project of the hot shop was to create a piece about food. This piece is a stack of pancakes with a pat of butter and a peach on the side. Pancakes were a breakfast entree that was dear to my family. Our average breakfast would consist of a pot of grits on the stove and maybe some sausage or toast on the side. We were a family of entrepreneurs because my parents had opened a bakery, so meals needed to be quick. Whenever pancakes were on the menu, it meant we would be able to sit down and enjoy a long breakfast together without the rush to get to the hustle and bustle of a workday. The peach is a nod to my mother, a Montezuma, GA native, who graciously and diligently worked to serve her family in providing savory nourishment. There was trial and error, but this was not too difficult a project.
FLAT SHOP PROJECT: IDENTITY
My closing project in flat shop was to create a piece centered around identity. I considered who I am and the pieces that make up my identity. My faith in Jesus is one of the most important aspects. I took on a daunting task, creating a piece that would resemble a church window. In the piece, you will find the ichthys fish, an elephant, butterflies, and various hues of green. The fish is said to have been used as a method of secret communication amongst believers under Roman persecution. The African elephant is one of my favorite animals, and I identify with it because of my ancestral roots and my gift of memory and recall. The butterflies are a symbol of transformation into a new creature. Once I became a believer in Jesus, I became a new creature. Green is one of my favorite colors. I used it as a boarder and filler. Green is a color of life and vitality, and I used it to express my vibrant and lively personality.
FLAME WORK PROJECT: ADORNMENT
My final project in flameworking was to create an adornment piece. While working with the torch, I learned how to make beads, rings, and charms. It was daunting at first for me because I was “playing with fire”. Trying to shape glass over a blowtorch, like any form of glass manipulation, takes precision, focus, and creativity. With that in mind, I made a simple but detailed pendant. Out of all the pieces I created at the studio, this one is closest to my heart because whenever I wear it, I am reminded of my challenging yet exhilarating experiences while learning at the Perry Glass Studio.
Emerging Black Artists Exhibition at Westminster Canterbury 2022
This was my first exhibition as a student in the Norfolk State University Fine Arts degree program. I entered five pieces into the show. I received an honorable mention for my piece “One Word” and my husband received first prize for his photograph “Sankofa: Go Back and Get It”. It was a success for the both of us. The exhibit was available to be viewed by the residents for the duration of February and through this I was able to sell two of my originals: “Perplexed” and “New Beginnings”.
NEON Festival 2023: Navigators of Purpose
The NEON Festival was another great exhibition experience while studying at NSU. Students were able to enter one piece. As I looked at my body of work, I was conflicted and unsure about what to enter. In the end, I chose “Love, Joy, and Peace”. It was my first NEON Festival, so I went into it enthusiastically. To my surprise, I received second place. To God be the glory.
Emerging Black Artists Exhibition at Westminster Canterbury 2024
This was my second exhibition at Westminster. This one was very special to me because I was expecting. I selected four pieces from my body of work, but for the fifth, I wanted to create a piece that reflected my journey into motherhood. I was inspired the African elephant. When She becomes pregnant, she is surrounded by a herd that bands together to care for and protect her and her calf. Though the journey is not easy, there is no bond like the one of a mother and offspring. My journey is parallel to as I was blessed to have a village of women to help guide me and care for me as I prepared to enter into motherhood. And in just a few weeks I would begin with a beautiful baby girl.
