Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Grace Craig.
Hi Leah Grace, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a figurative painter born in Highlands, NC, nestled in the Appalachian mountains, and now based in Atlanta, Georgia. My path to becoming an artist has been anything but straightforward. After beginning in set design for theater and television, I faced the closure of two different programs at two universities. Those setbacks ultimately pushed me toward my true passion, painting.
I transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I earned my B.F.A. in Painting with a minor in Printmaking. I believed then, and still believe now, that if the world were to stop, I should be doing what makes me happiest and what feels as natural as breathing. Since making the switch to fine art, my life has opened up both creatively and socially, and I feel more grounded than ever in my practice and direction as an artist.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. Like many artists, I’ve struggled with self-doubt and with the stigma of choosing art as a career, especially coming from a small town where the expectation was to leave, see the world, and chase something more conventional and lucrative.
Growing up, I was an extremely shy teenager with a strong perspective that I rarely let others see. That side of me only began to surface when life forced me into stillness. At the start of 2020, my set design program was shut down. I transferred to the UK to pursue a career in design, only to end up locked down in a cold, rainy house, completely alone, with no human contact for months. I merely lost my mind; the isolation was so heavy, but it gave me a gift. It provided a space where I couldn’t hide from myself. In that silence, I found the loudest voice I had ever heard, my own. I started drawing every day, not because I had a plan, but because it kept me sane. Art became a lifeline, a way to process everything that was going wrong in the world. That period, though difficult, gave me the courage to finally trust my creativity and to share the part of myself I had always kept hidden because I was too scared to admit my own passion.
But even after choosing this path, nothing fell neatly into place. The journey has continued to be long, physically, financially, and emotionally. I’ve had to step away from my art at times just to afford life in Atlanta, and I’ve endured the trauma of an abusive relationship. Yet these struggles have shaped my work. My paintings are born from nightmares and anxieties, but they transform that darkness into dreamlike visions. It’s more than finding a silver lining, it’s about discovering that pain itself can be transformed into something strong and extraordinary.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a figurative painter specializing in large-scale oil paintings that merge classical technique with dreamlike, contemporary symbolism. My work often depicts ethereal women adrift in clouds, surrounded by flowers and animals that blend seamlessly into one another. While the surface imagery radiates softness and serenity, the deeper narratives draw from nightmares, grief, and resilience, transforming personal and collective anxieties into something both beautiful and unsettling.
I’m most proud of how my work has evolved into an honest reflection of my life and experiences. For me, painting isn’t just about making something visually striking; it’s about creating a space where vulnerability and strength can coexist. My Appalachian upbringing deeply shaped my sense of atmosphere and light, while my own struggles taught me to use painting as a way to process and transform pain.
What sets me apart is this duality: the ability to balance the ethereal with the raw, to create works that feel both timeless and deeply personal. My paintings invite viewers into dreamscapes that are serene on the surface but carry darker undertones, asking them to linger in that tension. I think that’s where my voice as an artist lives, in holding beauty and darkness in the same space.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about this city is its creative energy. Atlanta has such a rich mix of communities, cultures, and stories, and that diversity makes it a place where art feels alive and constantly evolving. I’ve been able to connect with other artists, galleries, and collaborators here in a way that has truly shaped my practice and given me opportunities I might not have found elsewhere.
What I like least is how difficult it can be to sustain an artist’s life here. The cost of living, lack of affordable studio spaces, and constant hustle to make ends meet can feel overwhelming at times. While the city thrives on its creative culture, it doesn’t always make it easy for working artists to flourish. That tension, between inspiration and survival, is something I carry into my work, and it’s part of what gives the art community here its resilience.
Pricing:
- My work ranges from $350 – $20,000
- My works prices can be found by contacting my gallery reps at Alday Hunken Gallery.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leahgracecraig.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/le.craig/
Image Credits
Memento Floris
Oil on Canvas
24″ x 36″
2025
Aurora and The Sky
Oil on Canvas
24″ x 36″
2024
Roan and the Daisies
Oil on Canvas
24″ x 36″
2024
Mater Mortis Infertalia
Oil on Canvas
64″ x 74″
2025
