Lea Rigdon (b. 1970, Augusta, United States) is a self-taught artist working predominately with watercolors who lives and works in Augusta, GA. Some of her first memories are of her own mother creating art. Lea began creating at a young age, often being inspired by the illustrations and colorful landscapes in Disney films she and her family would enjoy together. In turn, Lea has passed this legacy of artistic passion down to her own children. Her works act as a personal reminder of who she is, where she came from, and the people she loves the most.

Lea was the Greater Augusta Arts Council’s featured artist for the month of June 2022. Her works have been featured in The Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, 600 Broad, 4P Studios, Augusta & Co. Gallery, The City Gallery, and in exhibitions such as The Greater Augusta Arts Council’s annual Wet Paint Party, and The Annual October Spooktacular.

Statement
I view the process of painting as an enchanted retreat that creates space for meditation and self-discovery. I love to combine watercolor with pencil and/or pen. This method satisfies my need for precision and detail but balances my desire to be free, loose, and spontaneous. The best part of creating is the ability to share this side of myself with others. Through my works I hope to create a magical space for the viewer to pause, breathe and smile.

I have been greatly influenced by the luminous and often haunting works of Kay Nielsen and Itzchak Tarkay’s dreamy images of elegant Parisian women. Both artists use the whimsical flow of watercolor, fine lines, bold silhouettes, and vivid color to create a kind of visual poetry.

My work can be described as a modernized folk art that utilizes repeated patterns alongside watercolor to create shifts in light and subtle movements that imply a difference in textures. I like to incorporate paints with an element of shimmer that give a dream-like glow as light touches the work. I am inspired by nature, both flora and fauna, and the mysterious wonder that lines therein.