5 Minutes with Leah Ramage
Q & A LEAH RAMAGE FROM
LEAH'S MARK ILLUSTRATION
WHO IS LEAH RAMAGE, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
I am a watercolour artist with a big vision to leave my brand, Leah's Mark, on the world and leave the world a better place than I found it. I am from Sydney's Northern Beaches, Australia.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I create art through my watercolour paintings and take hi res images of them to sell as prints, limited edition prints and of course sell the originals (no matter how attached I become) haha. I have an online store where I sell them and also take custom commissions while on the weekends you can generally find me at the Manly Markets selling my works. I am a conscious creator where the purpose behind my art is to make people act on conserving our environment and the animals that live within it.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE PASSION?
I grew up being surrounded by creativity, with arty parents I was always encouraged to create but only five years ago found my watercolour calling.
IF YOU WERE A COLOUR, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
This is an easy one, I would be GREEN! Green is everywhere you look in nature, the ocean, the mountains, the plants. It is also calming and has an eco/environmental connotation to the colour which is everything I and my brand, Leah's Mark, stands for.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I am completely inspired by nature. Anything outdoors that is plants, ocean and animals I will paint! I also love following other creatives and love seeing what they are producing and how they showcase their works. There is nothing more inspiring than being surrounded by other creatives and learning new skills from them but also being an inspiration to them in their journey too. It is a beautiful circle.
DESCRIBE YOUR ART IN 3 WORDS
Organic. Calming. Modern.
WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS AND WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT YOU HAVE DONE?
I am so lucky to have such a diversity in my clientele from those that purchase my originals to those purchase prints or greeting cards at the markets. Predominantly my clients are females between 25-45 yrs.
Ooh, the most interesting project I have done!? That's a hard one, I have so many haha. One I just recently worked on was I designed three watercolour designs for a completely eco-friendly brand that will be printed on diving wetsuits, swimmers, towels with a percentage of sales going towards a clean ocean campaign. I just love working with like minded brands who give back to our planet and I can't wait to see people wearing my designs :)
WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED AS AN ARTIST ?
Oh where to start! As an entrepreneur you wear many hats and make many mistakes along the way! It's all part of the process. I would say one of the most challenging and something I still struggle with is getting your art in front of the right audience. You have just spent hours of your time creating the most beautiful artworks that you know people would love to hang in their homes but how do you get in front of those people without blowing out the marketing budget. I have done a lot of trial and error here and I am still trying to figure out the perfect balance here. One thing I would say that has helped me through is networking, I love connecting with people and it is amazing how much this can extend your brand awareness.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP TIP FOR CHILDREN WHO WANT TO BECOME LIKE YOU ONE DAY?
Whatever your gift is, always remember that nobody can do it quite like you can. Nobody can replicate the genius that you possess. Also surround yourself with like minded ambitious people that will support and encourage you on your journey to success. I can't tell you how valuable I have found having my tribe of creatives encouraging me along the way!
l WHAT EXCITING PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR 2021 / 2022 ?
Oh lots and lots of things! I am working on some exciting new products at the moment which I can't reveal exactly what they are just yet but they fall under the categories of surface design and the baby category. I am also working on some new original works to exhibit in another art exhibition hopefully towards the end of 2021. My mind is constantly ticking so there is always something in the works.
Thank you so much for introducing yourself to us Leah! If you want to say hi to Leah, you can email her at: leah@leahsmark.com.au or see more of her beautiful artworks below.
https://www.facebook.com/leahsmarkillustration/
