Today we’d like to introduce you to Leo Fortune
Hi Leo, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Leo Fortune (they/them), an emerging Minnesotan based artist and longtime public school educator, explores the power trees and spirals have to connect us to our authentic selves, to each other and to the world. They began coloring outside of the lines at the age of three. Then, they spent most of their life disconnected from themself and consequently, their art. A year ago, at the age of 41, they came out as a neurodivergent queer trans human. Their art practice reignited and exploded. They know first hand the power that comes with being authentic. Leo harnesses their life story of being painfully disconnected to empower others to keep reconnecting and embracing their true self. They hold space in their art for others to be safely vulnerable. They deeply believe that a world with people that are truly connected to their own love will change the world for the better.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. Many of my struggles revolve around old limiting beliefs that may have protected me once, but now just fuel self-hate. Creating art in and of itself is an act of self-love.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an intuitive watercolor painter that uses trees and spirals as my way to express my deep inner journey of love, acceptance, death and rebirth. I wrote and illustrated a bilingual children’s guided meditation book – “Los árboles hablan – ¿Los escuchas? Trees Talk – Are You Listening?” The winter calls for hibernation, a return home. This bilingual book does just that. It is a meditative journey for our inner child using original art with tree, spiral and hand imagery. The language is open and asks broad questions like: What are the trees saying? What can they teach us? This allows the book to be re-read and experienced differently each time. For every book sold, a tree is planted by northern MN non-profit – Let’s Plant Trees.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Summer language camp – getting to immerse myself in a new to me language, friends, food and culture.
Pricing:
- $25 book
- $5 card
- $3-5 stickers
- $30-40 prints
- $5-10 magnets
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leofortuneart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leofortuneart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567372868844&sk=about
