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Leslie Ditto
Memphis, TN
Posted: 8.15.09
More info: Artist site
Rating: 
(3.83 - 127 votes)
Leslie on her work:
As far back as I, Leslie Ditto, can remember I have always been drawn to self expression through visual arts. As a young girl, growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, I was not exposed to any classical surreal artist until I attended Overton High School for the performing and Visual Arts.
I was accepted into Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. After only two months of training my father had become terminally ill and I was forced to return home to Memphis. I was never able to return to school but could not deny the artist in me the opportunity for expression just because I had never been formally trained.
Over the years I researched techniques of the “Old Masters” such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Rubens, Raphael, and Rembrandt. I fell in love with the technique of glazing transparent oil color over a neutral colored under painting. With strong influences from fantasy artist, surreal artist, and the “Old Masters”, I create disturbingly beautiful oil paintings that interpret to the viewer my deep emotions that are conceived from my views of current social, political, and religious dynamics. My ideas come to me in an organic fashion. Starting with a seed of a simple idea and growing into many complex symbols and images. My main goal is to capture my audience and bring them to my emotional state in the hopes that my test for an echo will be a success.
YOUR WORK IS FANTASTIC WITH SO MUCH CREATIVITY AND INMAGINATION LIKE THE STYLE OF SALVADOR DALI. GOOD WORK!
Great response to anonymous, Brian. I got a bit miffed after reading that comment as well. It’s just plain arrogant/ignorant of someone to bash the work in that manner. Art is subjective, period. You don’t have to like it, but you should respect the efforts of the artist and what they are trying to create. I love this forum because most people critique from a point of education, appreciation and love of art… in all forms.
The most imagination in one person I have ever seen! keep going you will be the best one day.Don’t pay attention to the negitive,keep on the positive side.
I think her art work is awesome. The way she uses her imagination it is unbelievable.
Alacazam
UH this looks extremely similair to Mark Ryden and he’s been around a lot longer then Mrs. Ditto. She needs to have her own style!!
And by the way, i do like the art. Surrealism is what it is, a thought/idea/emotion/feeling expressed from a DIFFERENT point of view. Granted, it isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t make its artistic quality null and void.
Great job, “Anonymous”. Very easy to comment on how much you hate someone’s work when you won’t even give your name. If you do not like it, if it is not for you, then that is fine. Incoherent? Can’t focus? Junkie art? Wasted talent… Your elitist attitude is pretentious. How do you know that her ideas behind these pieces were incomplete? Who are you to say that she does not get through to the viewer? True, there is a lot going on in both pieces, but maybe that is what is being conveyed. If you want simple and quiet, stick to Thomas Kincaid. If you do not understand it, and it does not speak to you, fine as well. Art is whatever the artist feels, whatever she says it is.
Dont know if’m right but feel each detail added means something…
Well, first, I think the top pic is particularly well done. The bottom is a bit cliched for me. However, the artist talks a lot about her emotional state and trying to bring the viewer in. She also says she tries to convey her view of current social, political and religious dynamics. Well, from what I see, someone is very unhappy, knows a lot surrounds them but is mostly focused on themself. The top image is particularly disturbing, even tho well done, and I have to wonder what inspired this.
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