Siscily Ketcher Lederman

I can't remember a time when I was not "doing" art. My father was a commercial artist who gave me unlimited materials and (fortunately) very little instruction. As an adult, I simply found folk art appealing and during the years when I was exploring photography, I felt that I actually saw real life in terms of folk art; my photo compositions attempted to capture that. When I began painting, I was living in Montana and became intrigued by the art of Grandma Moses. After a winter trip to the Cayman Islands, I really found my joy and began constructing very colorful shadow boxes with Caribbean themes. A gallery in Grand Cayman (Pure Art) began selling my work. Through that gallery, I also sold pen and ink drawings, painted sneakers and finally, paintings...and now I primarily do only the paintings. I presently sell in Tortola and Florida's Sanibel Island.

The reason my paintings are relatively small is I am a bit of a vagabond and at times I live in a travel trailer or a sailboat. Keeping my paintings small allows me to continue to do my work while traveling. Sometimes I set up a studio in a tent. I can't imagine NOT doing artwork. If asked to make a statement about my paintings. I would say: "They are a celebration of everyday life."

The paintings are done on heavy-bond watercolor paper (outside dimension 15x11; actual image size 13x9) using acrylic paint and black ink.