Prickly Pear Under The Blue Sky by Leigh Ann Torres

Prickly Pear Under The Blue Sky
Leigh Ann Torres
Acrylic on Wood Panel
11"H x 14"W
2025

My current explorations of prickly pear cactus capture the interplay of light and shadow across the planes of prickly pear pads. The subtle shifts in value never fail to catch my attention and transform the familiar into something almost abstract. I’m most drawn to the repetition of form and rhythm, and in this series I explore how small changes in light and angle can give us pause and help us find beauty in the everyday.

Get to Know the Austin Artist:
Leigh Ann Torres is an Austin-based artist whose work explores the quiet beauty found in everyday observation. Whether studying the subtle play of light across cactus pads or composing the rhythm of familiar objects, her paintings invite viewers to slow down and notice moments often overlooked.
Working primarily in acrylics, Leigh Ann balances realism with a sense of mood and atmosphere, allowing color and light to shape the emotional tone of each piece. Her current body of work reflects a fascination with repetition and form in the natural world.
Leigh Ann received her BFA from the University of Texas at Austin and has exhibited her work at Artworks Gallery in Austin, Georgetown Art Center, and the City Arts Center in Round Rock.