Leandra Thiem

I am a qualified "old method" lead glass artist of ASGLA “The Association of Stained Glass Lamp/Window artists”, with a love for painting. My inspiration comes from a fondness for Elizabethan portraiture, fuelled by my passion for Shakespeare. At the age of 9 my leaning towards the arts were already evident when I attended the local art school, Hugo Naude in a small town in South Africa. From thereon I studied art history till my final year in high school. Shakespeare really became a day and night read when my English teacher introduced us to Othello. As a stained glass artist also specialising in painting figures on glass as in churches , the vision is to paint old masters, obviously not near there, but how I see them in a sort of childlike manner. Most young girls dream of living in a chateau and every room filled with beautiful old timers paintings and stained glass windows. With every painting I feel a sense of accomplishment, getting nearer to the chateau life. My paintings are mostly concerned with the issues of human life, love, loss, desire, friendship and betrayal, all that Shakespeare so loved. I hope that the viewers will see some personality in my work, that the eyes might tell you something of the characters feelings, ...