Columbia artist, Whitney LeJeune, would tell you that she finds beauty in thousands of subjects that surround her daily. Her work, however, would tell you that beyond just beauty, one subject also provides true inspiration. That subject is the female form.
Whitney says, “Aesthetically and culturally, I find no subject more compelling than the female form”. . . “Nothing inspires me more than building my compositions on the female form – it’s the opportunity to merge the most fundamental, aesthetic beauty with the timeless and universal feminine spirit that has birthed, nurtured, inspired, and tempered humanity throughout history. What better ways to both convey and cause reflection on the emotions that fill our lives?” When asked about the most satisfying feedback she’s ever gotten on her work, Whitney says that a client said it best: “When I look at your work, it makes me feel beautiful.”
Whitney, a full time painter, says she loves the challenges and education she gets in making a living and building a career as a young, female artist. After graduating from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in 2009, she returned to Columbia, SC. “Columbia has proven to be a fantastic town for learning and living as a young artist!” She explains, “I have found there to be a passionate, deeply interested community of art lovers in this town, and a hard-working, close-knit community of talented artists with which to commune.”
You can find Whitney online at www.whitneylejeune.com, or often in her studio at The Arcade building near the corner of Main and Washington Streets. You can also find her work on display at Mezza Lebanese Bistro, on Gervais Street. She shows regularly at venues around Columbia and will have a solo exhibition for the entire month of December at S&S Art Supply on Columbia’s Main Street.