Q & A
When I found out Crow had been accepted, I couldn’ t believe it. It was a moment of pure joy – like I’ d been truly seen. That acceptance meant far more than just an exhibition spot, it was validation of my identity as an artist and a person still capable of achieving something meaningful.”
Q & A
Q & A with Leila Nelson
For Leila Nelson, discovering occupational therapy has been‘ life changing’, offering her a purpose, direction and opportunities she never knew existed. In this Q & A, she shares her journey of growth, creativity and professional discovery.
W hen occupational therapy student Leila Nelson picked up her paintbrush again – her first degree was in painting – she never imagined her work would be accepted into the prestigious Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025.
Her striking painting Crow hung alongside an array of contemporary works – a milestone that marked not only her talent, but also a deeply personal journey.
Leila’ s path to this point hadn’ t been straightforward. While working in the community, an occupational therapist encouraged her to apply for an occupational therapy degree; something that, at the time, she says she’ d‘ no idea if she would succeed at’.
Now, as she completes the end of her second year of study, she’ s thriving; working on an acute psychiatric ward for older adults as a support worker, looking ahead to the opportunity of a funded master’ s in research after graduation, and rediscovering the joy of her first love – the occupation of art.
For Leila, occupational therapy has been life changing. It has given her purpose, direction and opportunities she never knew existed. In this Q & A, she shares her journey of growth, creativity and professional discovery.
Q
A
Can you tell us about the moment you first heard that Crow had been accepted into the Royal Academy Summer Show?
I was astonished. I applied on a whim with the attitude these kinds of things don’ t usually happen to me. When I found out Crow had been accepted, I couldn’ t believe it. It was a moment of pure joy – like I’ d been truly seen. That acceptance meant far more than just an exhibition spot, it was validation of my identity as an artist and a person still capable of achieving something meaningful.
Q
A
An OT initially encouraged you to apply for a degree; how did that conversation change your direction?
That conversation completely changed my life, although I didn’ t realise it until this year. At the time, I was physically unwell with COVIDrelated complications and felt lost. An OT I was working with saw something in me that I couldn’ t see in myself. She encouraged me to apply for a degree in occupational therapy and that spark of belief gave me a new sense of possibility.
When I found out Crow had been accepted, I couldn’ t believe it. It was a moment of pure joy – like I’ d been truly seen. That acceptance meant far more than just an exhibition spot, it was validation of my identity as an artist and a person still capable of achieving something meaningful.”
32 OTnews September 2025