About
ABOUT ATARIS
Ataris Art is an artistic, holistic and creative studio in Kentlyn, created as a space to make, explore, connect and just be.
There’s no pressure to be “good at art” here. You don’t need experience, you don’t need to know what you’re doing, and you definitely don’t need to colour inside the lines!
Ataris is about creativity over perfection, curiosity over judgement and expression over expectation.
Come as you are, make something, make a mess... See what happens!
HI, I’M LEESH!
I’m the owner and creative human behind Ataris Art. Artist, facilitator, professional mess-maker and, on occasion, Supreme Chancellor of Watercolours.
I’ve always believed creativity should feel like freedom, not another thing we have to be good at.
That belief sits at the heart of Ataris.
When someone walks into my studio, I’m far less interested in whether they can draw a perfect picture than I am in helping them feel comfortable enough to experiment, make mistakes, change their mind and discover what happens when they stop worrying about getting it “right.”
I work with children, teens and adults, and while the way we create might look different for every age and every person, my approach stays pretty much the same: I’ll give you the tools, techniques, ideas and guidance, but what you do with them is yours.
Because I don’t want twelve identical paintings leaving the studio. I want twelve completely different ones.
Over time, Ataris has grown into much more than the art studio I originally imagined. It’s become a space for workshops, young artists, parties, private groups, one-on-one creativity, community, connection and the more intuitive side of making... and it's still growing.
I love exploring the connection between creativity, colour, mindfulness, journaling and self-expression. These are all things that continue to find their way naturally into what I do here.
Mostly, I want Ataris to be somewhere you can walk through the door, drop your shoulders a little, and create without judgement.
THE ATARIS WAY
Creativity over perfection
Curiosity over judgement
Connection over comparison
Presence over pressure
Expression over expectation
There’s room here for wonky lines, changed minds, weird ideas, happy accidents and paintings that look absolutely nothing like you originally planned.
Actually, we quite like those.
MORE THAN AN ART STUDIO
Ataris has grown into a space for more than classes.
It’s a place for young artists to explore their creativity. For adults to make something with their hands and switch their brains off for a while. For birthdays, workshops, private gatherings and creative events.
It’s also a physical space that can be shared, with studio hire available for creatives, practitioners, small groups, meetings and people who need somewhere a little different to gather.
And as Ataris continues to grow, so will the ways the space can be used.
TESTIMONIALS
Ataris Art Studio is a safe haven. Alecia created it to be a safe haven for herself and by extension, it became one for others too. I’ve visited so many times on differents occasions over the year where I needed to be feel at ease and just be me, for me and my daughter to do art without judgment. Ataris Art Studio is a place of love. Highly recommend!
- Gizelle Faye Bunagan
Leesh is bloody amazing- absolutely recommend her! She is my kids happy place, they look forward to their weekly visits. Leesh- has helped my son deal with his anxiousness and emotional regulation (from the first visit). She is an absolute gem who creates a calm and relaxing environment and is extremely warm hearted and welcoming. Her studio is such a vibe and makes the kids feel like true artist! I like to call her my art therapist!
- Hanadi Mou
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN ARTIST
You just have to be willing to have a go.
Whether you’re here to learn, make, connect, unwind, celebrate, experiment or simply do something for yourself, there’s a place for you here.
Come make some space.