Ali Leja is a self-taught instinctual painter. As a former school counselor of 20 years, Ali guided her students based on intuition and verification. She applies the same concept to her paintings. She has a feeling of where a color or line should be, she places it on the canvas and then steps back to evaluate. Ali uses large loose brush strokes to create pieces that are abstract expressionistic in style. Ali uses several mediums such as acrylic, oil, pastel, ink, charcoal and pastels to create pieces that are unique in style and texture. Her marks are laid down in a quick fashion to keep each stroke fresh and clean. Ali's work is purposefully happy and each painting is done in such a way to evoke a smile or laughter from her audience. Having overcome many obstacles in her life, Ali makes the conscious choice to focus on positivity. She views her art as a gift that she uses to balance any negativity that she cannot control. Spreading her joy to others through her artwork is a privilege that she does not take lightly. Ali feels that maintaining a physical, emotional, and spiritual balance is the key to her artistic success. Ali's appreciation of life goes far beyond her art. She practices yoga and strength training regularly and participates in life coaching. She is the mother of two wonderful boys, Quin and Liam, avid rescuer of dogs - current household includes Stela and Anna Delish and she is married to an Icelandic-American, Helgi Thor. *Ali paints in her home studio located in Johns Creek, GA.