what i know. interview with an artist.
Lee Vandergrift is our cover artist for this issue of The New Barker. Lee lives in Winter Park with his partner, Tim and their two Bichon Frisés, nine-year-old Gus and three-year-old Sophia. Find out more about Lee at: www.leevandergrift.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leevandergriftart.
I wasn't familiar with the Bichon Frisé breed until I rescued one out of the street, if you can believe it. This was years ago—I named her Sally. They are such great dogs—so adorable and sweet natured. Gus is the funniest little guy—he sits like a little man in a chair. He hops up in a chair or on the couch and then just lays back with his belly exposed and upright. He will even prop his arm up on the arm of the chair. Quite unusual.
I was born in Orlando, raised in Ocoee, and schooled in Sarasota, so you might say I’m a native Floridian. My favorite colors are any shade of green. I also like to combine yellow and orange.
I paint with a mix of media, but favor chalk pastel on water color paper with color pencil for detail. I’ve been painting since I was a kid. My mom is an artist and she encouraged me at a very early age. After I graduated from Ringling College of Art & Design, I came back to Orlando and worked for a local cultural arts magazine out of Winter Park. I've always drawn, doodled, sketched. If I have something that can leave a mark on paper, I draw.
72 THE NEW BARKER
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