Leslie Ditto grew up hanging out with her father in his Harley Davidson shop, she watched while he worked on motorcycles from start to finish. The “finish” part was painting the bikes, seeing that part of the process is where her incredible interest in surrealism and fantasy began to develop. She attended Overton High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Memphis Tennessee, where she was raised, this was her first exposure to classic surrealist art. However, Leslie is a self taught artist, focusing on visual art, oil painting, and sculpting. Her paintings are developed around her personal views of society. All aspects, including politics and religion. Her pieces are one of the greatest examples of pop surrealism today. She manages to keep a somewhat feminine but tough, sexy, and sometimes comical vibe going on in her work, which truly entices the viewer into wanting to know more about what they’re seeing. With so many wonderful things happening in some of her paintings, you’re still magically drawn directly into those gorgeous glaring eyes of her different subjects.
Leslie has researched the old masters, such as Rubens, Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Rembrandt. With strong influences from several different areas, such as fantasy art, surrealism, and of course, the older masters of art, her ideas come to her in an organic fashion. Starting with a seed of a simple idea and growing it into many complex symbols and images.
“My passion is for creating art with every ounce of energy I have to give”
Leslie Ditto’s paintings have been known to give me, and I’m sure countless others, that awesome feeling of butterflies in my stomach, whether I look at them for the first time, or the 100th time. I’m always amazed! Such attention to detail, such a great sense of humor, such an intense look in the eyes of all her unique characters. Some are creepy, some are simply beautiful, some are straight up insane! I mean that in the best way possible, of course. Her use of color and ability to wow you with her subjects is a specialty of Leslie’s, and watching it grow is delightful.
Leslie’s work is in the June Anniversary issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. It is included in our special “INKED” group feature! The issue will be available June 1st. Check it out. Also check out some of Leslie’s incredible paintings below, starting with her brand new piece:
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