Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Leon.
Hi Sara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I once read that a person should have 5 hobbies to provide balance in your life: one to make money, one that keeps you creative, one for your physical health, one to build knowledge, and one to evolve your mindset. It has taken a while, but I have finally found those five for my life.
My name is Sara Leon. I was born and raised in Southern California and grew up as a second-generation Mexican- American. My parents are both from Mexico, and I grew up with three younger sisters. Get 5 passionate, fiery Latinas in one household, and that makes for a baseline volume of at least 8.5/10 in the house and also made my dad pick up golf as a pastime to get some peace and quiet. Scratch that, me and dad both took up golf to get some peace and quiet. I was the quietest out of the bunch. I was always very studious and was always painting and drawing cartoons or landscapes since I was a toddler. So, my family was not surprised when I decided to pursue a career in science. I earned my BS in Biology from Point Loma Nazarene University and decided that was not enough late-night cramming sessions, so I decided to get my master’s in Biomedical Science at California Baptist University. After I graduated, I got a job as a Research Associate Scientist in San Diego working on incredible projects and I love it. This is my hobby that makes me money.
As I was working in the science field, my passion in science and medicine was being fed, but my creative side of my mind was severely malnourished. I was beginning to feel deprived of an outlet where I can feel connected to people and bring beauty to the world. So, I decided to pick up painting and drawing again and took a risk of making it a business called SLStudios. I set aside many nights after my long days at the lab to create my website from scratch on Squarespace and started uploading my artwork that I have done and selling them as digital prints in series. The response was incredible! Having a responsibility now to make content for my website makes me more aware of the world around me to draw inspiration from for my art. This is my hobby that keeps me creative and has been my greatest risk so far.
My three other hobbies needed trial and error but were imperative to giving me those final pieces of balance in my life. I have fallen in love with hot Pilates after years of trying to be a weight lifter. Pilates is a great way to feel connected to your body without straining yourself.
I have also made a point to read every single night, even if it’s for a few minutes before I fall asleep. This is my hobby that offers knowledge. Pro tip: buy a Kindle if you want to start reading! It’s so portable and you have so many options on immediate books right at a touch of a button. Best investment!
Lastly, my hobby for evolving my mindset is journaling. Journaling about my faith, struggles, fears, judgments, dreams, prayers, and goals has been a way to get to know myself and become a better friend, sister, daughter, worker, and business owner.
I have learned through finding these hobby outlets, that it is so important we do not get so focused on making a living that we forget to make a life. We were created as multifaceted beings that need to be fed in multiple ways, and we deserve the investment in ourselves in order to offer the world our best.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing that is worth having comes easily. I was never the best student, but I was putting in the extra hours to get an A on a test. I did not know how to start a website or how to start converting art into prints, but I watched dozens of videos and read articles on how to make it happen. Having to work for something that makes you nervous to fail has made me more confident in myself.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love doing portrait art. I usually take pictures of my family members, friends, and people I see on the street and take that as an inspiration to paint or draw. I change up the color scheme and paint a face that I have photographed onto a large canvas with minute detailing down to the crow’s feet around the eyes. I love working up close on a project, finishing up the last brush strokes, and taking a few steps back and seeing the final product of a person that I have seen transformed into a character.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Covid-19 changed the entire world. We all saw lives take a complete 180. Thousands were out of jobs, worried about how to feed their families, and worried about going outside out of fear of getting sick. I also saw a switch in how people interacted with each other. We all became so disconnected and afraid to touch and speak to each other. Observing this social shift made me more passionate about creating art that unites and makes you feel connected to someone that you may have never met before.
Pricing:
- $30-50 for my digital prints
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Slstudioscompany.com
- Instagram: Sara_leon_3
Image Credits
@davisprice_photography
