Like many self-taught artists, I started painting as a diversion from my career which changed after my children were born from being a geologist to being a horse trainer. Soon requests from friends for portraits of their children, horses and various pets led me to start a small studio. That was twenty-five years and many portraits ago. My clientele includes doctors, judges, educators, businessmen and women, a United States Senator and lots of children.

Around my twelfth year of painting primarily horses and portraits, I felt the need to expand my painting to include other subjects and started painting wildlife and landscapes. I studied for many years under the watchful eye of longtime Raleigh artist, illustrator and author of several art books, Bill Tilton. And, because all artists need to paint outdoors in the embrace of nature as much as possible, I’ve studied plein-air painting with master artists, John Seerey-Lester of Osprey, Florida and Heiner Hurtling of Milford, Michigan.

email: leemims@gmail.com
phone: 919-553-3435
website: www.leemims.com