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"Simplicity is the essence of happiness" ~ Cedric Bledsoe

Leah Mangue is a Coachella Valley area artist whose work focuses on the simple pleasures of nature, pets and wild animals.  Her drawings of pets in colored pencil clearly display the love she has for detail and animals, not only managing to capture the indefinable spirit which makes those creatures our most trusted companions but also allowing us to witness the soul of nature in the process.

The colored pencil is made of pigmented wax, similar to a crayon but with finer wax allowing for as much or as little detail as needed or wanted.   

Each subject is started with a rough sketch, using a photographic reference, in a single color.  A light use of initial color throughout the illustration with a particular emphasis on the detail of the eyes.  Gradually the pencil work is increased and the colors and details are shaped and defined until the finish is deep with a slight sheen.  A very light background gently highlights the area around the subject giving it an almost angelic glow.  An acrylic mist finishes the drawing by assuring no smudging will occur and the colors will remain deep and rich for the lifetime of the illustration, the owner and beyond.

L. Mangue