Leah Waichulis

“I'm always on the lookout for unique and beautiful everyday scenes and antique Americana.  Whether I'm painting an interior, cityscape, or landscape, I like to choose subjects that reveal their history with rich character and strong presence.  I hope to capture interesting and realistic moods through the play of light and shadow and to choose honest subject matter that reflects everyday life.”

-Leah Waichulis-  
                                                                                 
I was born on February 26, 1979 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  I was lucky enough to be born into a close knit and creative family.  Ever since I can remember, I've been enthralled with the arts.
 
Throughout school, I took advantage of all the art classes I could and enrolled in after school art programs.  On vacations, I would visit museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Philadelphia Museum of Art and attend local art exhibits.

After graduating from high school, I enrolled in Fine Art: Painting and Illustration at our local community college. By this time, I was studying many artists and found myself inspired by the American Realists, especially the work of Edward Hopper.  I was drawn to the honesty in his subject matter and the realistic moods he was able to achieve through the play of strong light and shadow in his work.

After receiving my Associates Degree, I attended the Pennsylvania State University Fine Arts program.  Although I was excelling in the classes, the focus was on conceptual Modern Art, which was not the direction I wanted my work to take.  I decided that the traditional atelier system would be most helpful for me and I left to attend The Waichulis Studio founded by Anthony J. Waichulis.

The realistic work of the students at The Waichulis Studio and especially that of the instructor was phenomenal.  I began the painstaking process of learning fundamental techniques first in charcoal and then proceeding to oils.  It was very encouraging to be surrounded by like minded individuals at the studio, all who had a fierce love of art and who were extremely dedicated.  Upon completion of my studies, I decided to stay on at the studio and continue my work there.   Anthony Waichulis and I developed a wonderful relationship and we were soon married.   We continue to work together on a daily basis and have become a vital aspect to each other's creative process.  My husband and I live above our studio, which we are fortunate enough to work in everyday.

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