Lelia Byron is an interdisciplinary artist who makes paintings, murals, sculptures, installations and public art projects. (Check out Byron’s incredible works by visiting www.leliabyron.com.) Learn about Lelia Byron…
Hometown: New York City
First job: When I was in high school, my first job was as an assistant teacher for children’s art classes at a museum.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in WI: Exploring.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: It’s really difficult to pick one favorite project! This past year, I really enjoyed working on a series of murals in a small city in Finland. The murals, titled “Following the Thread,” used lacemaking as a metaphor for social fabric and were based on photographs and interviews with lace-makers. I painted the murals in a public park, and it was great to be able to interact with so many visitors about the project on a daily basis. Another project I really enjoyed working on this past year is a sculpture titled “Quilt.” Now on view at the Rochester Institute of Technology, the sculpture is a three-dimensional quilt made from painted wood. Some other favorite projects of mine include an over 60-ft.-wide sculpture made from plastic textile waste, a series of paintings about people in Massachusetts and Rhode Island fighting for labor rights, and a series of paintings about women coffee farmers in Colombia.
Someone who inspires you and why: People who are dedicated, intelligent and are active in responding to problems with creativity.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: My advice would be to keep making work and try to create your own opportunities.
Favorite quote: One quote I’ve been thinking about recently is, “Artists need to create on the same scale that society has the capacity to destroy.”
What makes someone fabulous: People who are kind to others, thoughtful and not afraid to be unique.