Leon ‘Lee’ Hardowar was a graphic designer when the coronavirus hit Guyana last year and the company he worked with was among the many that closed temporarily. The company reopened in August last year, but four months later, Lee left graphic designing and his job behind to concentrate on his painting.
Lee is not new to art. As a boy, he spent a lot of his free time in his school library going through books, looking at pictures and drawing them. When he was in Prep A, his talent caught the teacher by surprise. “When I was in Prep A,” he shared, “my teacher asked us to draw a cow and I drew the teats on the cow, and it caught the teacher’s attention, and she called the other teachers and they joked that I should become an artist.”
While his teacher picked up on his talent, young Lee had his heart set on becoming a vet, but that dream later changed when he began attending secondary school. By then, he wanted to become a graphic designer. Lee attended the E R Burrowes School of Arts, where he earned a certificate in painting, advanced painting, drawing, graphic design, and photography.
The pandemic, the artist said, is what made him consider taking his art seriously and he spent much of his time getting reacquainted with his brush and paints until late last year when he decided to take the bold step of being a professional artist.
Lee does oil painting, digital art and graphic designs. He said that so far, art is providing him an income.
The artist focuses on painting wildlife but intends to do more landscape pieces. He noted that the latter attract a different clientele like government agencies or businesses. They are usually much larger in size and often of scenes of various parts of Guyana. Tourism is another of Lee’s interests and he hopes to be able to use his skill for this purpose also.
As it relates to his digital painting, this format is usually reserved for portraits. When Lee spoke with The Scene, he was working on a painting of the peacock bass commonly referred to as Lukanani. It is a commissioned piece and the client wanted it as a gift for someone else, he said.
One of his most popular pieces is of a jaguar lapping water from a creek. It is also his most challenging painting to date. It takes him approximately a week and a half to finish his pieces, but this particular piece took him three weeks, partly because he was also working on other pieces. This jaguar painting, he said, was one he did just because he felt it, though it is for sale.
Another one of Lee’s eye-catching pieces is of an Oriole referred to locally as the “yellow plantain bird”. In the painting the bird stands over a speckled mango it was apparently eating. Lee noted that this painting was drawn from a photograph and he had arranged with the photographer to give him a percentage of the sale of painting, as well as other similar paintings of the photo that would be sold.
Lee said his background in graphic design has taught him a bit about advertising and getting others to share his work.
Recently, a local hotel showed some interest in his work and a representative has scheduled a meeting with Lee and the end of which pieces might be commissioned.
Earlier this week, Lee won the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) Domestic Violence art contest with his painting ‘Spare The Rod; Save The Child’. According to the MoHSSS, the competition invited artists to submit artwork depicting the elimination of violence against vulnerable groups including women and children using the hashtag #enoughwiththeviolence.
In his submission, Lee pointed out that physical abuse often results in scars, both physical and mental.
“My painting depicts a child, kneeling on the ground caught in the act of drawing on the wall. The drawing is of a happy family, one that the child dreams of. Parents often resort to physical abuse as an outlet of their personal issues. However, children are most vulnerable at this age and need to be protected then and always,” the 29-year-old artist explained.
Among Lee’s inspirations is New Zealand artist and photographer Andrew Tischler. “I love the professionalism and the process of his work inclusive of his photography and putting that image on canvas,” Lee said. “He uses a projector to see how his picture would fit on the canvas before he begins painting. Also, instead of using the regular canvas artists use for their work, he uses a linen canvas.”
Lee is also amazed by the work of talented digital artist Aaron Blaise, who formerly worked with Disney and created the artwork for popular movies like Lion King, Brother Bear and a number of others.
Looking back, Lee is happy he made the decision to leave his job and devote himself to his art. Flexibility of working hours is one of the things he now enjoys.
In admonition to other artists, Lee advised that they be consistent with their work and never give up. Even if they reach to a point where they are not sure what to do next, they should find another area of the artwork and work on that until they get the inspiration to continue.
“Take your time when doing your art piece. Don’t rush it,” he said. He also recommended that artists do more research and watch tutorials whenever feeling uninspired.
The eldest of three boys, Lee grew up in a village along the East Coast Demerara where they spent a great deal of their time outdoors playing cricket, football and going on fishing trips. He attended Enterprise Primary and Annandale Secondary schools.
To place orders or to see more of Lee’s work, follow or contact him on Facebook at ARTlee or Lee Hardowar.
