Local artist Jasmine Leach is gearing up for an important step in her artistic career: her first solo show, set to be held at the Averitt Center for the Arts in May 2025.
While this event marks an exciting step in her journey, Leach’s artistic roots run deep, influenced by a childhood spent in the company of art and artists. Both of her parents are recognized artists within the Statesboro community, and her earliest memories include afternoons spent exploring an art museum where her mother worked.
Now, Leach is building her own legacy, recently expanding her studio space and launching a new professional website to showcase her work. Recently, Leach even sold two originals through her website to a collector in Washington state.
In addition to larger projects, she has begun experimenting with a mini canvas series featuring her distinctive, vibrant abstracts. The idea for these smaller pieces came from a desire to be more sustainable.
Leach explained that she had often used small canvases as palettes and later realized they could be repurposed into tiny works of art.
Sustainability is just one aspect of her creative process. At the core of Leach’s work is a deep connection to the idea of play and freedom in art.
“You’ve got to be able to find joy in it,” she said. “There needs to be a freedom to it. Create rules, yes. Create a vision, yes. But if I stay within that sense of play, that sense of curiosity, that spontaneity, that’s when you’re able to connect with yourself and make art, and have fun doing it.”
Leach’s artistic philosophy is rooted in releasing perfectionism and embracing the unpredictable nature of inspiration. She admits that there’s often a pressure for artists to create something perfect, but she’s learned to move beyond that mindset.
“You can’t control a piece,” she explained. Sometimes, she says, the best course of action is to walk away from a work that’s not clicking and return to it when inspiration strikes again.
Though creating art isn’t always easy—“It takes work, and drive, and I don’t always feel like it”—Leach has found ways to stay motivated. She often reflects on the words of Pablo Picasso: “It took me years to paint like a master, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
This quote resonates deeply with her, as it encapsulates the balance between skill and the playful, carefree spirit she aims to maintain in her work.
As she prepares for her 2025 solo show, Leach is embracing both the challenges and the joys of the creative process. Her work, whether on a large canvas or a miniature one, serves as a reminder that art is not just about the final product, but about finding freedom and fun in the journey of creating.
With her unique perspective and vibrant approach, Jasmine Leach is a rising artist to watch in the Statesboro community.
Keep an eye on the Averitt Center’s 2025 schedule for more details about her upcoming solo exhibition. In the meantime, you can view her latest works on her newly launched website.