Inspired by contemporary stylized paintings and colliding the worlds of fine art, pop culture and art history today we meet American artist LeAndre Barnett.

I was born and raised in South Florida, I started art around age 4 with drawing from my imagination and whatever TV show I loved, specifically Japanese animation. My decision to pursue art was decided when I learned I wouldn’t be able to afford to study animation and illustration in college so I dedicated myself to self education when I discovered contemporary art and got my inspiration from Picasso and Basquiat. Over the years I have worked on maturing my practice.

Tell us about your greatest inspirations or influences?

• Basquiat, is very cliche nowadays but honestly his influence is different for me because his work to me is Philosophy in its own. It's like he’s giving you a perspective visually on things we see and don’t see creating a thought in your visual understanding of things.

• My second would be Virgil Abloh who was capable of simplifying information Visually for the public to consume in all his work, kinda like Marcel Duchamp or Andy Warhol.

• Manga Artists like Akira Toriyama or Eiichiro Oda, they created their own figurative art styles through character designs and world building.

Tell us a bit about your creative process?

I usually think of visuals in my head. Sometimes, if not I pull some sort of reference from anime or history.

My painting process varies, Sometimes I prepare a digital reference on my iPad with the colors and everything selected or I just sketch It right there on the canvas or paper so it varies a lot depending on what I'm trying to express artistically.

Who do you consider to be an icon of our time?
As a creative, Kanye West

What does wellbeing mean to you, and what do you practice?

I'm still learning the importance of it, my mental health has become a big foundation for me, especially struggling with my perspective of myself and who I am to myself and my family.

Thanks for joining us today LeAndre, is there anything else you would like to share? 

To anyone struggling of acceptance and feeling left out but know they have something important to contribute know that you have purpose you have meaning and its ok to take your toys and create your own playground you’ll see who decides to come support you that’ll be your foundation just above yourself. Continue to follow your heart and engage information to further the conversation for yourself and the future generation.

www.leandrebarnett.com
instagram @leandrebarnett