Lesley Harrison's Sacramento, California girlhood was shaped by animals and art. "I was born loving animals, she says.”It seems to be in my blood." She remembers an ongoing menagerie from cats to chickens. She started drawing animals in 2nd grade. "I was taken to the principal's office more than once, because I was drawing horses instead of paying attention to the teacher," she laughs.
"In 1975, I picked up a stick of pastel and it was instant love. I had tried other mediums, but nothing ever clicked." By 1983 she was selling enough paintings to quit her day job. Talking about getting her work into galleries, Lesley relates, "Whenever I'd approach a gallery about showing my work, the first thing they'd ask was what was my medium? I'd say pastels and they would say they weren't interested. So I finally told a gallery that I worked in oil and pastel (which was true!). They told me to bring the oils, not the pastels. I took both and left them for review. They loved the pastels!
