A woman with short brown hair and hoop earrings smiling outdoors with trees and greenery in the background.

Leana McGuire

BIO

Here's a more condensed version of the bio (Helene paragraph at the end of this email):

“You’re never too old to try. It’s in trying that our paths become clearer.”

During the pandemic of 2020, it was a stretch to find silver linings, but that is when Leana D. McGuire found art.

“I believe art found me.”

Furloughed from her day job for 2 months, she decided to take a course on drawing – one long established by Dr. Betty Edwards called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (DRSB). Art, for as long as Leana could remember, had been intimidating, but when pencil hit paper, a new confidence arose.

In 2022, fueled by a desire for color, she tried her hand at painting. Following a brief romance with acrylics, she made a commitment to oils, inspired by their buttery consistency and fluid application.

Primarily self-taught, Leana possesses an eye for beauty in everyday faces and objects, using vibrant color and texture to bring them to life. Her work can be found throughout Asheville at Trackside Studios, Village Artist Market in Biltmore Village and the Marquee.

A Critical Care RN for many years, Leana currently works remotely and part-time, teaching leadership development for a Home Health organization. She lives with her husband, John, and their 3 cats, Lucky, Jo-Jo and Baby Boy. 

You can learn more at www.leanamcguire.com or follow her on Instagram at @leanamcguire_art or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LDMcGuireArt

Leana has also written an Amazon Bestselling Novel, Control Switch, under the pen name Leana Delle.

HELENE RECOVERY

Drawn to the River Arts District and the incredible natural beauty of the area, Leana and her husband moved to Asheville six months prior to Hurricane Helene. Blessed to have purchased a home on a hill, neither property nor art were lost during the storm, Something very valuable, however, was gained: a renewed faith in community and a strong reminder of the importance of paying it forward. The struggle - Leana believes - becomes a story, and she's determined to contribute to the telling.