How Leigh Witherell Paints the Moments We Don’t Talk About

For this feature on the Arts to Hearts Project website, we spoke with Leigh Witherell, a Florida-based figurative painter whose work invites us into moments that usually happen behind closed doors. Through her emotionally charged paintings, Leigh shares scenes shaped by grief, tenderness, connection, and the struggles of being human in today’s world.

In this interview, she talks about the turning point that changed how she approaches her work, what draws her to quiet emotional moments, and why she wants her paintings to spark tough but essential conversations. We learn how her art gives space for both vulnerability and introspection—not just for herself, but for anyone who sees it.

Leigh Witherell is a featured artist in our book, “100 Emerging Artists 2025” You can explore her journey and the stories of other artists by purchasing the book here:

https://shop.artstoheartsproject.com/products/the-creative-process-book

Leigh Witherell is an award-winning contemporary figurative artist who is currently based in Florida. Working primarily with acrylic on canvas, Witherell is best known for her compelling ability to capture scenes of human emotion through contemporary compositions, often reflecting profound and intimate moments. Witherell’s work delves into authentic intimacy and the exploration of the most private moments of the human experience. Characterised by organic, earth-tone colour palettes and dynamic brushwork, her paintings often evoke deep emotional and provocative responses.

Significant projects include a series of works that portray the silent, powerful moments of interpersonal relationships and a series focused on parental grief spurred by her tragedy in 2021. The latter experience triggered a seismic shift in her personal philosophy and life goals. This new personal drive has her attention tightly focused on creating artwork that celebrates love and encourages introspection about how we approach and interact with others on a societal and individual level.

Leigh Witherell has exhibited her work in several reputable venues, including the Las Laguna Art Gallery in Orange County, California, the Orlando Museum of Modern Art in Florida, Espacio CóMPLICES in Madrid, Spain, and the Eisele Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. She has also participated in the Buinho Creative Residency in Messejana, Portugal. Witherell’s works are held in numerous private collections, attesting to her rising presence in contemporary art.

1.   You often focus on private, emotional moments—what draws you to those quieter parts of the human experience?  

I have always believed that people never show their true inner selves in public places or on social media. What we see in those spaces is the very best self that person can put forward. But behind closed doors, people become authentic to who they are. Those are the moments I want to see; those moments that happen when we think no one is watching. I spend a great deal of time just listening to people and extracting those moments from conversations I am either having directly or happen to be overhearing, and those moments become a composition to study and contemplate.

I approach the works knowing that it won’t be my moment a viewer sees, it will be that viewer’s moment.

Leigh Witherell

2.  Your series on parental grief marked a significant shift in your work—how has that shaped what you’re making now?     

This series is the most personal and complex series of my life. I am still working on it and shaping what it will become. Working on this project has forced a level of honesty and authenticity that I never knew I would be capable of producing. That honesty has shaped how I see the world and how I listen to the world, and it has shaped how I portray those moments. I want to be as honest in their creation as the moments are themselves.

3.  How do you approach the balance between showing vulnerability and giving space for viewers to engage with their own emotions?  

I approach the works knowing that it won’t be my moment a viewer sees, it will be that viewer’s moment. So I intentionally leave room for interpretation in the elements of the compositions so the viewer can see their moment in the moment of a stranger.

4.  You’ve shown work internationally and across the U.S.—how have these different audiences responded to the intimacy in your pieces?    

Here in the US (my home country), there is a reluctance to see intimacy in any form. The roots of this country foster a set of beliefs that leave no room for vulnerability, and I think that is a shame. I find that an international audience is much more able to see these intimate moments and appreciate them for their honest portrayal of the human experience. Perhaps we cannot see humanity for all its flaws because we don’t have a long history in the US. I think internationally, I don’t run into this problem.

I want my work to encourage viewers to really challenge beliefs that they currently hold and to see if those beliefs are truly their own.

Leigh Witherell

5. Much of your work explores connection and disconnection—how do you think art can influence how we relate to others in real life?    

I look at artists as being the visual recorders of their time. We let art tell the stories that are important to our times, and we want them to be seen. I feel that by looking at art through this lens, the viewer can see what is essential to that particular artist and can see what was necessary to the time that artist lived in. Art can influence how we see ourselves and, importantly, how we see the past. It is an honest look into the psyche of the times an artist lives.

6.  You mention wanting your work to encourage introspection—what kind of conversations do you hope it starts?  

I want my work to encourage difficult conversations. I see my job as encouraging viewers to challenge their current beliefs and determine if they are truly their own or if they were told to believe them.

Leigh Witherell’s work gives form to the moments we often keep to ourselves—the ones filled with quiet emotion, loss, and human connection. Through her paintings, she helps us pause and notice what happens when no one is watching. Her journey shows how grief can shift perspective, how painting can create space for honesty, and how art can open the door to conversations we might not have otherwise. We’ve learned that her work doesn’t just tell her story—it makes room for others to see their stories too.

To learn more about Leigh, click the following links to visit her profile.

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