“I’ve always considered myself an artist,” says Leslie Bijoux.
The Somers resident is preparing to take part in the “Together apART” exhibit when ArtsWestchester reopens their gallery next month. Ms. Bijoux will be one of 224 Hudson Valley artists who will showcase work created during the pandemic. However, her journey as an artist began long before Covid.
“I have always been interested in making art, but I haven’t always lived the artist lifestyle that I dreamed about,” explains Leslie.
In her youth, she imagined herself becoming a ballerina. The Thornwood native would eventually go on to attend SUNY Oswego, studying Fine Arts. After college, Leslie moved to Boston where her jobs included waitressing and working at Emerson College. Life would get even busier following the birth of her son, though her interest in being an artist would not wane. “At that point, art wasn’t a priority, it was more of a hobby,” says Leslie.
Ms. Bijoux would move back to New York in 1991, continuing to create art in the form of crafts, jewelry, masks, and leatherwork. She would eventually remarry, and alongside her husband, Leslie would open Yogi’s Paw, a trendy boutique located in Mount Kisco that sold jewelry, clothing, and accessories. The duo would run the business together for sixteen years.
“It was a wonderful, magical experience,” recalls Leslie. “It was fabulous, but it was also all-consuming, running a business is 24/7/365.”
In 2019, Leslie and her husband made the decision to close Yogi’s Paw and she found herself at a creative crossroads. It was at this point that she decided to dive into the lifestyle that she had always dreamed of.
“I was going to live an artist’s life,” says Leslie. “I decided to make artwork a priority.”
Inspired, Leslie began painting again. However, an obstacle arose with the outbreak of Covid last year.
“I just froze creatively, I actually put my paints away” she recalls. “I had so much anxiety about what was going on in the world.”
However, the creative block was short lived, as Leslie discovered that the artist within was more powerful than even a global pandemic. It was this mentality that led to the creation of her latest series of paintings, “Reclaimed Hearts.”
“I just had to keep going and trust the process, every day I just started doing something” she explains. “I did a series of hearts, and by doing them, I was replacing a piece of myself that I lost during the pandemic.”
The paintings are acrylic and mixed media collages on 12”x12” hardboard panels.
Fittingly, Ms. Bijoux’s “Reclaimed Heart” will be on display at ArtsWestchester’s gallery reopening exhibit next month which showcases artwork inspired by and created during the pandemic.
“This is a great place to start showing. I feel very fortunate, and I’m so excited,” adds Leslie.
Together apART: Creating During COVID will be open to the public from Friday, May 7 – Sunday, August 1.
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