FEATURED ARTISTS

Adam Lechani

Adam Lechani is an artist who not only makes work as a form of self expression, but also as a form of outreach. Through sharing his work and his story, Adam aims to share this message on an international scale: your dreams and passions are yours for the taking, despite what others will tell you because of your differences. Once Adam began working with crayons and paper at age 4, he never stopped. He often uses his art to say what he is unable to express verbally. His work is inspired by his goals and aspirations, his moods, feelings, interests, and everything that impacts him, positive or negative.

When asked to define home, Adam said:

“Home means comfort, it means being yourself in all your forms. Home is about your own environment where you can truly be yourself without the need to think of who and what others think of you. It means freedom, it means being your authentic self.”

And I don’t think any of us could have said it better.

WS: How would you say being born and raised in Morocco has affected your art?

Adam:  My father is an artist as well, and so since I was born I was naturally immersed in the world of art and artists. My dad never pushed me to draw, I just started on my own, with my own style and my own tools, which is great because I did not have to follow someone's trail but make my own. I was brought up in an environment where if I am not able to articulate my feelings verbally, I can express my feelings, thoughts and dreams through my artwork.     

WS: You have paintings of two different cats in the HOME MAKERS exhibition. What subjects do you usually draw and paint?

Adam:  I love drawing animals and family/ friends portraits. I love animals, I am a big fan of Sharks, Dinosaurs and pets such as dogs and cats. When it comes to friends and family, if I meet new people who have made an impact on my life I would draw them. When it comes to family, I like to draw my current family, and also my future one because one my dreams is to marry and have children of my own.

WS: What do you want people to learn or think about while viewing your work?

Adam:  I want them to learn that although society’s norms have painted me as someone missing an ability, I am whole and I am an Artist, I have the ability to be myself and express myself through art. My artwork is honest, and is a sincere representation of how I see the world with my own eyes and my own heart.

WS: How do you know when a painting is finished?

Adam: When I sign my name :) 

To check out more of Adam’s work, follow @adam.lechani on instagram.

Douglas Allen

Douglas Bruce Allen is an artist and family man from Southern Virginia. Born into a Navy family he was frequently on the move, but this did not stop him from beginning his art practice at a young age. Today, Douglas is based out of Los Angeles, California where he pursues his studio practice and exhibits his work. His drawings often contain detailed from-memory renderings of semi-trucks. Douglas’ ideal career is to drive one of these trucks, and he fractures obstacles in the way of achieving this career by drawing the trucks and making them his own.

When asked about home, Douglas said:

“My casa! The place I live, [and] the place I throw my head down on my bed and go to sleep. It’s a safe place. Especially now that the coronavirus is going around.”

He’s definitely got the right idea.

WS: Why did you become interested in diesel trucks and the profession of truck driving?

Douglas: It was a profession I wanted to do but I had an accident and I couldn’t drive after that. So I started to draw trucks.

WS: You had mentioned that the trucks are from memory. Are the streets, houses, and landscapes of your work also from memory?

Douglas: Yes. When I would take the bus home that would help me get in mind what stuff looks like. When I pass by stores, houses, any kind of business it would show me how they look.

WS: Your drawing, Time to Go Home, uses a vibrant color palette with several tones of pink and peach. Why do you decide to use these bright, bold colors in your work?

Douglas: I like how bright the colors are. They make people look at the artwork more. It makes the pictures stand out. When people look at them, they like them. I use color pencils and pens.

WS: How has your art or your process changed during the pandemic?

Douglas: I don’t draw as much at home because I have house work to do here. I would draw six hours a day at the studio but here I have other things to do.

See more of Douglas Allen’s work on the Tierra Del Sol Gallery webpage and follow Tierra Del Sol on Instagram.