In this episode, I sit down with artist Leah — a former accountant turned figurative painter known for her portraits of women — to talk about art as a language for the body when words run out.
We trace Leah's path from the audit floor to the easel, sparked by an unexpected, almost hormonal pull toward painting during her first pregnancy, and unpack why the hands are one of our most primal, expressive tools — closely tied to speech, gesture and emotion long before we could name what we felt. Leah opens up about painting women as a form of self-discovery, why every portrait carries a bit of darkness, and how the studio became a grounding, almost meditative anchor through early motherhood.
We also get into archetypal territory — the "autumn woman," the Maga (sorceress) season of midlife, and what it means to move into the wise-woman, guardian role — plus a fun detour into colour psychology, why green and blue are so relaxing, and Leah's complicated love affair with pink.
A conversation about creativity, embodiment, motherhood and the seasons of a woman's life — through the eyes of a painter.
Find more of Leah's work at www.leahmariani.com. You can find Leah on Instagram @leahmarianiartspace or TikTok @leahmarianiartspace.