Lerin

Rockefeller
(You can call me Lerin)

By now most of you know that I am an artist/painter. If you didn’t, you do now. I have always been a bit of a late-bloomer. That said, I am usually taken aback when I find an artist that has found a voice at such a young age. The work of Leigh-Erin Rudd (aka Lerin) impressed me from the very second I saw it. There is a straightforward purity to the way she approaches issues and emotions that is beautiful and gut wrenching at the same time. Her artistic talent and abilities allow her to address complex ideas and concepts in such a way that we can feel like we are coming into the middle of an intense situation but we already pretty much understand what is going on. This teenage Texan has style that whether you like it or not is inarguably some very thought-provoking and some of the more soulful work you will have seen in a long long time.

Smoke

How long have you been making art?
Well, I've always been into doing little sketches and things like that, but I started taking art a little more seriously around my junior year of high school, which was just last year.

I am just amazed that at your young age that you seem to be able to get to the point with your artwork better than people twice your age. Have you taken many art classes?
Thanks, that means a lot. I've taken art since my sophomore year, and a few private lessons teaching me how to use oils. I also took an art class for beginners with my mom over the summer, when I was about fifteen.

__0_hj

Stars

To what do attribute your mature style?
Lots of practice. There are a lot of people who are just born artists. I'm not one of those, and I don't think I'd get anywhere without sketching a little bit ever day for good practice.

You have certainly established a style that is all yours. From which artists do you look to inspiration or direction, if any?
There are so many, and I'm continuously discovering new artists that inspire me. I've always been amazed by the style of Egon Schiele. As far as subject matter, I'm most inspired by Frida Kahlo and how she is able to evoke emotion in very subtle ways. Gustav Klimt and Edvard Munch are a couple of others I've looked to for inspiration.

I can certainly see Schiele in your work. Aside from other artists, would you say that you get inspiration from visual queues as in what you might see walking down the street, or is it more cerebral or emotional things that get you going?
I think I get more inspiration from visual queues. If I'm walking down the street and see a homeless man, its not likely I'll draw him, but the effect he has on me.

What is the thought or impetus that usually starts you off on a new painting?
A lot of the people I draw usually end up looking very dreamy or kind or blank, and that’s usually the way I'm feeling when I sit down to draw them, kind of dreamy/spacey..

Socks

Bent

Your quirky sense of design and composition is interesting in that while it seems initially that you are more concerned with statements and content, you manage to pull together compositions that work like a late-breaking curve ball. What are you most concerned with when you sit down to paint?
I do feel composition is very important. I've gotten lots of lectures from my dad on composition, since he is a photographer, so I try not to ignore what really brings a piece together. Other than that, I'm usually most concerned with the expression the characters have. For me, it’s all in the face, and what that character is saying.

Most of the paintings of yours that I have seen do not include any artist comments of any kind. Does art in general need to be explained?
I'm horrible with words (as you can see from some of my titles). I also like for people to judge my work for themselves. I'm much better at expressing my thoughts through my characters rather than words (hopefully). But for those who are able to explain their art, good for them.

What do you want people get or take away from an experience with your work?
I'd like the viewer to feel they can interpret any meaning into my paintings/drawings. As long as I can get away with evoking some type of emotion, I'm good.

Fish Clock

Are the people in your paintings your friends, or maybe not friends but people you know or are they all you?
Most of the time I'm drawing my best friend, Hannah and me, since we've been close since grade 2. Even when I don't mean to draw the two of us, I always get asked "Is that you and Hannah?" So, I guess most of the time its kind of a subconscious thing.

Dripping Flowers

Spine

Can you talk about the crinkly spines we see in a few of you paintings?
I guess that’s when I'm feeling a bit emotionally or physically weak, fatigued, whatever. You can't feel too sturdy with a backbone like that supporting you.

Smoking is another theme that appears in your work. What is the significance of the smoke?
There’s really no crazy meaning behind that. I love to draw smoke with all its flowy lines, and I think it adds a little more to the picture.

I guess you can really see that in Smooo. What is interesting in that one is how the swirls of smoke are repeated as the hair. How often do compositions that you feel are good enough to show to other people start out as doodles?
Pretty much all of them start out as doodles. When I'm just sitting around sketching something quick I usually get really into it and end up adding color and spending more time than expected on it.

Smooo

Kjlll

Awkward

When you decide to include two figures in your work, is there a special relationship happening there or are they just posing together?
Like I said before, I usually end up drawing my best friend, Hannah, and me. When she is feeling down, I'm usually feeling the same way, so I kind of incorporate that into my characters. Strong friendships like that are important to me.

Long Faces

Asdffff

I have to ask you if the painting titled "Asdffff" Ashley and Mary Kate?
(laughs) No, not Mary Kate and Ashley, they're not really based off anyone. I should really think of a better title for that one, though.

The titles can be difficult, and while it is fun to try and pronounce some of the titles you do give your pieces, what is the biggest obstacle you have to giving your paintings titles that are at least readable?
Well first off I don't mean for them to be so unreadable, I just really suck at titles. Other than that, I don't like to give things away in the title. I don't want anyone expecting anything because of the title, I'd much rather have them put their own meaning into it.

How much influence does so much of the advertising we see in slick magazine ads have on you and your work?
Sometimes I will use magazine pictures for certain body shapes. I know I'm usually drawing very thin characters, and that’s because I like to draw figures that appear very fragile.

What is it about figures that appear very fragile? Are they? Or do they only appear to be?
I guess by drawing a figure a certain way physically, I'm also saying a lot about the way they are mentally. Like, by drawing someone thin and fragile-looking, I hope to express a kind of vulnerability of that character, not only physically fragile, but mentally as well.

Kjdfjf

Yellow Flowers

The figure is the main subject in your work. What draws you the figure more than say still life or landscapes?
I can't really get what I'm going for with a landscape or still life. I'm very much interested in the way people are. My psychology class is probably what got me into that. There are some talented people out there who are able to evoke emotion by painting landscapes, etc, but I personally like to concentrate more on people.

Have you ever worked completely abstractly?
I'm amazed by people who can express what they intend to abstractly. I'm really no good at that. My junior year, we did an abstract painting project and it really helped me to loosen up a bit, but I still prefer working with figures, body language, and facial expressions.

When I look at your work, I see a very calculated position on society and the decisions that we all make. How do you feel the choices we make effect society?
I can't think of anything very specific. There are a lot of people out there that make decisions that I'll never understand, what I try to capture in my paintings is the effect some of those decisions might have on us.

Have you seen the movie Run Lola Run?
I've seen parts of it. I was flipping through some channels one day and I came in on the casino scene, where Lola was screaming. It looked like an interesting movie, so I watched the last half of it. I still want to see the first half.

You should be sure and see the whole thing, it is wonderful film that works around that idea how the little decisions we make can make a lot of difference.

Bug

Bedhead

And what do you hope your artwork can show the people that see it?
What I hope to express with my characters is that kind of melancholy state lots of people get into now and then. I don't like to do things too obvious, like crying or laughing (although I still love emotional works like that). I just like to keep it all very subtle.

How much influence does music have on your daily life?
That is probably what inspires me most. Lyrics, instruments, everything about music helps me to create certain moods I'm looking for.

What are some of your favorite bands that you are listening to these days?
There are so many. Regina Spektor has amazing lyrics that inspire the hell out of me. Same with Devendra Banhart and Sufjan Stevens. A few others I enjoy are Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, and The Arcade Fire. They're all amazing.

Do you listen to music when you create your art?
I don't think I've ever drawn something without a good song playing in the background. The right kind of music really helps me out when I'm set out to draw a new character.

Does the mood or tone of the music dictate what mood the character in your drawing will have or do you typically put on music to suit your mood?
Well, if I know what I'm going for then I'll put on music to suit my mood. If not, then I'll let whatever is playing dictate my mood. It really just depends.

Zombie