ILIA aka Leigh Ann Edrich

Where do you live: Florida.
Your education: Mentors, including Ralph who was a Master of Fine Arts, Columbia University.
Describe your art in three words: imaginative – creative – powerful.
ilia.life | Instagram

Can you tell us more about your early influences and how your relationship with Ralph Grimes shaped your journey as an artist?

My early influences were my Mother (painter and crafter), Aunt (poet and singer) and Two Uncles (both were artists and poets).  I had sky high dreams of what I wanted to create and my goals in different areas of The Arts (I’m a writer, poet, sculptor and fine artist).  Being naive and trusting in my teen years throughout my early twenties, I would happily tell others my dreams. What happened was my dreams were smashed, invalidated, I was told that I’ll never make it, I wasn’t good enough, kindergarteners are better at painting than I was, asked if that was all I could do, told I should get a real job, that my art was worthless, my writing wasn’t good, on and on it went.  Year after year the weight of the accumulating messages added up until I gave up.  I stopped creating completely.  I became a roofer and also held other jobs but never felt right doing any of them. 

Ralph was working at the same place I was and we had the very same morning habits: drink a cup of coffee and read until it was time to start working.  We became very good friends.  After a while I had to move to a different state, so we became penpals.  This period of time was magical!  First Ralph told me he was a closet poet and sent a wonderful poem.  So, I wrote back and told him the same, sending along one of my poems.  After a while, I sent along one of my “doodles” (a pencil drawing).  Ralph did send back his feedback on it, instead he hung my “doodle” up in his very busy office and wrote about the responses of others!  First a person would see my art, walk up to it to see it, step back about three feet and look at it from there, walk up close again and would tell Ralph good things about my creation!

Ralph used encouragement and validations, he told me what I was doing right and I grew as an artist.  After my first sale, I was on my way as an artist.  I had Ralph at that time what it was that he did to revive me and he said that he used the “Validate the Rightness” method.  He ignored any “not quite right” things that I painted and validated the good things that I did.  In doing so, by putting my attention on the good, the “bad” disappeared.

I also found out that Ralph held an MFA from Columbia University.  That he learned there in the early 1940’s before the teaching method was changed to the “if an artist can’t take criticism then he shouldn’t be an artist” method.  Ralph taught me many areas of The Arts and Performing Arts.  My love for classical, jazz, blues and big band music came from this.  Also, music is a part of every creation I make.

Because of the care I received from Ralph, I also mentor artists – in all fields and in any country.  I have found that the Validate the Rightness method can help artists be the best they can ever be.

ILIA aka Leigh Ann Edrich | Serenity | 2024

You mentioned that life is a canvas. Can you elaborate on how this philosophy influences your art?
Life is a Canvas! 

My inspiration when creating is drawn from the antics of wildlife and also the butterflies, bugs, bees and hornets that kiss me but never bite me.  My beautiful gardens.  The artists that are now winning because I mentored them.  Music!  Colors and more. 

The beautiful melodies of life inspire art.

How do music and your choice of composers like Mozart and Vivaldi influence your work?

It’s been said by many viewers and collectors of my dreamscapes that I captured music in my dreamscapes.  Some ask how I did that!

A Dreamscape needs classical music in order to create it.  Classical sonatas, concertos, instrumentals are my top choices. 

Without music as one of the main inspirations there is no dreamscape.

ILIA aka Leigh Ann Edrich | Eternal Gift | 2022

Can you tell us more about the techniques you use in your digital fine art?

“ILIA’s creations blend elements of the natural world with fantasy, earning her recognition across the globe. Each piece requires 50 to 100 hours of meticulous work, involving the editing of individual components that are then combined into one cohesive Dreamscape. This process produces vibrant visuals that engage viewers in color and form.” 

I figured out this technique by starting with “what if…”  It has expanded since that point.  My earlier attempts were pretty good but the later ones really have a message that communicates to many from kids to elderly in all walks of life.  As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect.

“I make games for a living. As part of that career I’ve come across a huge variety of digital art built in many different programs and encompassing many different styles. ILIA’s dreamscapes are unique and distinctively hers. They’re unlike anything I see anywhere else.”  J.J.

Can you share more about your first commissioned work, ‘Cosi Fan Tuti,’ and how it impacted your career?

The sale of Cosi Fan Tuti was a very joyful time at the beginning of my art career.  Ralph had been validating the rightness, my painting-ability had continued to increase and then I made that sale!  It was very exciting.  It was also a very big validation of my creations that knocked out the previous comments that stopped me cold as a creative individual.  I was able to move forward from that time using many different techniques and materials in order to perfect my message.

ILIA aka Leigh Ann Edrich | Eternal Gift | 2022

You mentioned helping other artists make a living with their art. Can you share some insights from your book, “The Art of Mentoring”?

I love helping other artists to make a living with their art!  There’s nothing like seeing an artist attain dreams and goals.

The very first thing an artist needs to do is: don’t listen to others that are trying to get you to stop.  A person that would do that is not being friendly or helpful no matter the guise. 

Don’t stop is key. 

If you have stopped, start again.

Art in its many forms gets created which then inspires the inventors and scientists with the new ideas.  Take space travel, it started being written about in the 1940’s, by the mid-60’s a man landed on the moon.  You get the idea.  You are important.

What advice would you give to emerging artists who are trying to find their own voice and place in the art world?

Get The Art Book.  It can be found on Amazon.  Study it.  Focus on your message – both formulating it and getting it across to others via your art.  Use the Mood Lines in the Appendix of the book to help you with getting your message across.  Then ask for feedback to make sure your message did get across.  Doing this will help you to achieve your goals and also give you the certainty you need, no matter what.