Rhianna Leigh

rec·i·proc·i·ty: a situation or relationship in which two people agree to do something similar for each other; to allow each other to gain mutual benefit and privilege.

The greatest gift and biggest compliment I receive as an artist is having my work truly seen. There is a difference between the value of something and its worth. We know this to be true when we hold onto old ratty tee shirts or “worthless” tchotchkes from deceased loved ones. To someone else it’s junk, but to you it’s everything. As an example; I hope to have a person with access to loads of money and someone who has very little, standing next to each other looking at my artwork, both feeling moved and both with very different numbers on their forms. Rather than feeling in competition for the painting or at odds with each other (which is often the case in our current framework) they regard each other with respect. Understanding the value each of them has in our culture, they are able to relax in knowing that the numbers on their forms are vastly different but that that doesn’t reflect their appreciation for the work. A dollar means different things to different people and I choose not to be the one to decide that value. Once home, your painting will represent and remind you of your participation in receiving it. May you feel generous and grateful for being a part of this heartfelt exchange. If you find yourself with a sense of having gotten a ‘good deal’ it’s likely pointing towards your sense of living in scarcity. In that situation you may find the piece itself exuding scarcity. This is a living exchange, if at any point in the future you want to send me more money, I’m always happy to receive. Likewise the opposite is true. I ask that we get brave in our thinking and engage in an honest dialogue about how we can best support each other. This exchange is not about having a bidding war or getting a deal. It’s about honoring the transference of art into worth. This is an exploration of the power of genuinely giving and fully receiving. We’ve largely forgotten what it means to care for each other on a community level. Turning our hearts and hands back toward a system rooted in generosity and care is not some cute naive quest for utopia, it’s quite possibly the only way we are going to survive! I don’t have the answers, and I don’t know what to do. But I do know that in order for things to change we must get brave and creative because The only way to do it differently is to do it differently.

• 2021, 22, 23 Reciprocity Solo Show, NY
• 2019 Ready Made- Group Show, NYC
• 2019 Permaculture Certification- Ben Falk, VT
• 2018 Legendeer- Artist Residency, VA
• 2018 Making Your Life As An Artist- Andrew Simonet, FL
• 2017 Souluna Leadership Intensive- Coby Kozlowski, MA
• 2016 Scenic Artist- Adirondack Scenic, Dubai
• 2014 Yoga Teacher Training- Yoga Mandali, NY
• 2005-12 Lead Artist and Project Manager- Imagine Hand Painted, NY
• 2008 Nutrition Educator Certification- Bauman College, CA
• 2003 Outward Bound Semester- Moab, UT

• Mindfulness practitioner
• Yoga teacher
• Leadership training
• Meditation training
• International travel (over 30 countries for volunteering/work/play)
• Facilitate 'The Artist Way' cohorts