Artist Bio and Statement

The joy I receive from the first pencil mark, ink line or brush stroke on a blank surface is always more thrilling than the last. Every fresh creation is a new chance to unload the ideas that have been bubbling from within and presses to be free. Art is a love that has to be shared to live. Even though I may have already designed preliminaries inside of my head, I know that finished products take on their own creative course. The finished product is always a collaboration of thought, inspiration and experience.

My pursuit of creative propensities stared early in life: markings could and still can be found on home and school surfaces (Some of them with and many without permission.) My grade school teachers would send letters home about my tendency to draw out my words rather that write them.

My earliest formal art instructor (Mrs. Barbara Townsend, Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School), saw that and squeezed that creativity out of me sneakily. Often before I realized what was going on I had volunteered my service for school projects. Of course she graded everything as extra credit but it always kept me working and that was the important thing. She knew that I would not turn her down. It was practice without her hands-on instructions.

However, it wasn't until Professor J. Craig Greene (Art Professor: Chowan College Murfreesboro, N.C.) began to get into my head that I started to really think about what was actually being said to what was going on with a canvas. It was a question that did not rest well with me at first. That question is too personal to repeat but I pray that other professors are as good with their inspirational techniques with students. Great art can only begin to take shape when an artist realizes who he is. And, that was the essence of his motivation. An artist also knows to keep some things within and allow the viewer to see what they see and not crowd the experience.

It took me almost thirty-two years to realize that I was a wondering soul without passion. Eventually being saved by Christ Jesus, my energy focused on pleasing HIM. Through His guidance I now have that passion to create Good art. By good I mean there is soul and good fruit in each piece. Now a simple piece of blank paper, a pencil/ink-pen and creating something with Christian love in it is more satisfying than almost anything

Norman Rockwell has always fascinated me by the light-hearted way he depicts the simple things in life. His Christian belief spills out of his illustrations without stating a word. I pray that my work someday does a fraction of that. Winslow Homer and Peter Paul Ruben are two other artists that I have studied. Winslow on his water works and Peter Paul on the heavy traffic he uses and still the painting comes together without overpowering any individual part on it.

It took me almost thirty-two years to realize that I was a lost soul. Saved by Christ Jesus, my energy now is focused on pleasing HIM. Now a simple piece of blank paper, a pencil/ink-pen and creating something with Christian values in it is more satisfying than almost anything

Thank you for considering my work. May the joy that I place in each peace transfer bring joy to your life.

CF Legette

*Copyright Notice:

All images on this web site are fully protected by U.S. and international copyright laws, all rights reserved. The images may not be copied, reproduced, manipulated or used in any way, without written permission of First Star Art artists (CFLegette). Any unauthorized usage will be prosecuted to the full extent of U.S. Copyright Law.