I’m drawn to the tiny, emotional moments that stay with you for no apparent reason, like the way the world looks in the hours between after-school and dinner, or a meal you share with your friends, or an otherwise unnoticed thumb-stopping instagram story. I paint from reference, but the reference is just the doorway; the feeling is what I’m really after.
It’s called Nostalgic Impressionism because everything I make is filtered through memory, longing, humor, and that soft romantic heart I carry around. My work mixes the everyday with the dreamy: living still lifes, vibrant portraits, places that vibrate with old stories.
Every painting comes with a haiku. They’re like tiny emotional time capsules, spells, breadcrumbs back to the moment. The painting and poem come together like two sides of an open locket, a small secret moment just between the two of you.
Leah Liz Laird is a painter and designer based in Austin, Texas, creating art as LELÍLA ART. Her work moves between painting and design, blending structure with instinct to create pieces that feel both considered and emotionally grounded.
Raised in Bisbee, Arizona, a small desert town known for its artists and unconventional spirit, Leah developed a multidisciplinary approach early on, moving easily between mediums and ideas.
As the proud daughter of a Cuban immigrant, her mother’s influence shows up in her work as bright color, resourcefulness, and reinvention: an instinct to make something meaningful out of what’s in front of her.
Working under the name LELÍLA ART (a shortened version of her own) she creates a distinct space for her fine art practice, separate from her career in visual design.
Artist Statement
About
About
Leah Liz Laird is a painter and designer based in Austin, Texas, creating art as LELÍLA ART. Her work moves between painting and design, blending structure with instinct to create pieces that feel both considered and emotionally grounded.
Raised in Bisbee, Arizona, a small desert town known for its artists and unconventional spirit, Leah developed a multidisciplinary approach early on, moving fluidly between mediums and ideas.
The proud daughter of a Cuban immigrant, her mother’s influence shows up in her work as bright color, resourcefulness, and reinvention: an instinct to make something meaningful out of what’s in front of her.
Working under the name LELÍLA ART (a shortened version of her own) she creates a distinct space for her fine art practice, separate from her career in visual design.
Artist Statement
I’m drawn to the tiny, emotional moments that stay with you for no apparent reason, like the way the world looks in the hours between after-school and dinner, or a meal you share with your friends, or an otherwise unnoticed thumb-stopping instagram story. I paint from reference, but the reference is just the doorway; the feeling is what I’m really after.
It’s called Nostalgic Impressionism because everything I make is filtered through memory, longing, humor, and that soft romantic heart I carry around. My work mixes the everyday with the dreamy: living still lifes, vibrant portraits, places that vibrate with old stories.
Every painting comes with a haiku. They’re like tiny emotional time capsules, spells, breadcrumbs back to the moment. The painting and poem come together like two sides of an open locket, a small secret moment just between the two of you.
