I really like dogs. About seven years ago I decided to paint my dog, a rescue Jack Russell Terrier named Gigi. A friend saw it and offered to buy it on the spot. Someone else asked if I could paint their dog - and I haven’t stopped painting since. 

 

Paw Paints Artwork was born from that increasing demand - and a successful merger of art and activism became my life. My advocacy for dogs is central to my work, I proudly partner with several community nonprofits to raise funds and awareness on adopting pets from local shelters. My husband and I have two dogs of our own that we rescued from the streets - Ozzy and Rico. 

 

As demand grew so did the requests for different mediums - signs, murals, and realistic house paintings. All of my art is commissioned and based on the vision and imagination of the patron. I began moving towards creating large and intricate murals (inside, outside, on fences, flower boxes, and garage doors) and when protests began in the Summer of 2020, I lent my talents to the Black Lives Matter movement - painting murals in support of the cries for equality and justice on the boarded up windows of restaurants, condos, and other businesses throughout Columbus. 

 

It has been my experience that art brings joy and conversation - two things I believe we desperately need more of. It reminds and persuades - asking the audience to see something differently while encouraging passionate discussion and reflection which is why I am so passionate about being involved in my community. I am a current board member for the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Vice President of the Eastgate Gardens Civic Association. I have previously served as the Director of Art Outside the Lines, a community art studio for adults with developmental disabilities and also as an event planner, photographer and florist assistant for various employers.

 

I find so much happiness in working with clients to create their personal masterpiece - something you and your family can enjoy and share with others. You dream it, I'll create it.

 

Let’s get to work.

 

-Lea Barker