Choosing original artwork is different from choosing furniture, lighting or decoration. A painting has the ability to shape the atmosphere of a room, influence how a space feels and become part of your everyday life. Long after furnishings have been replaced and fashions have changed, the right painting often remains, quietly becoming part of the story of your home.
For that reason, I believe choosing an artist deserves just as much thought as choosing the artwork itself.
Over the years I have been asked many thoughtful questions about my work, my approach to painting and what collectors should consider when investing in original art. The answers below reflect the principles that have guided my own life as an artist and the standards I continue to hold myself to every time a painting leaves my studio. I hope they provide a helpful insight into my practice and make choosing original art a little easier.
Why choose a Lucinda Leveille painting?
My paintings are created for people who value atmosphere, quietness and the changing Australian landscape. Rather than simply recording a place, I aim to capture the feeling of standing within it, the changing weather, the movement of light and the emotional connection we often experience with the land.
Every painting is an original oil painting, created by hand in my Gold Coast studio and intended to become part of a collector’s life for many years to come.
What makes my work different?
My work has evolved over more than fifty years of painting into a recognisable style centred on atmosphere, Australian landscapes, expansive skies and carefully observed weather.
I am less interested in painting every detail of a landscape than I am in painting how a place feels. Quiet moments, approaching storms, distant horizons, changing light and solitary trees have become recurring themes throughout my work.
Collectors often tell me they experience a sense of calm when living with my paintings. That quiet emotional connection is what I hope every painting offers.
Does experience matter?
I believe it does.
There is no substitute for brush hours. Formal training provides the foundation, but confidence, judgement and problem-solving come from years spent in front of an easel.
With five years of full-time formal art training, more than fifty years of painting and over three decades as a professional artist, I have learnt that every painting presents new challenges. Experience doesn’t mean every painting begins perfectly. It means knowing how to recognise problems, solve them confidently and continue refining the work until it becomes the strongest painting it can be.
Every completed painting teaches something that carries into the next.
Why are all of my paintings originals?
Every painting I create is a unique original.
I have never produced prints, reproductions or licensed my artwork for merchandise such as greeting cards, cushions or phone covers.
When a collector purchases one of my paintings, they own the only one that will ever exist. I believe that individuality is part of what makes original art so special.
How are my paintings created?
My paintings are created using professional oil paints and carefully selected materials intended to provide lasting quality.
Each painting develops through observation, drawing, composition, colour relationships and many individual decisions that gradually build atmosphere and depth.
I never consider a painting finished simply because enough time has been spent on it. It leaves my studio only when I believe it represents the very best I can achieve at that moment.
Can I commission a painting?
Yes.
Every commission begins with listening.
Whether the painting celebrates a particular place, captures a special memory or is created specifically for a home or business, I believe understanding the client’s vision is the most important part of the process.
Throughout the commission I maintain open communication so the finished painting reflects both the client’s ideas and my own artistic approach.
Why do collectors trust my work?
Trust is built over time.
It comes through consistency, professionalism and delivering on what is promised.
During my professional career my paintings have found homes in private and corporate collections throughout Australia and overseas. I have worked with leading Australian galleries, completed numerous private commissions and created more than a thousand original paintings now living with collectors.
Those experiences have taught me that every painting carries my reputation with it long after it leaves the studio.
What responsibility do I have as an artist?
I believe my responsibility extends well beyond completing a painting.
A collector places considerable trust in the artist they choose. That trust deserves honesty, quality, careful craftsmanship and a genuine commitment to creating the strongest work possible.
A painting’s life begins when it leaves the studio. It becomes part of someone’s home, workplace or daily environment, often for decades. I never lose sight of that responsibility.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose one of my paintings or another artist’s work, I hope these answers help you make an informed decision.
Choosing original art is about far more than filling a wall. It is about choosing a piece of work created with experience, integrity and care, by an artist whose values give you confidence that the painting will continue to reward you for many years to come.
