Italian epiphanies
A collection of paintings, prints, and journal studies that are completely inspired by living in Florence, Italy. After traveling in the summer of 2024, I created a series of works that encompass my spiritual experience with the beauty of exploring Italy. After I got back to the US, I carried on with this endeavor since it allowed me a time of valuable reflection.
Porto Venere
Created: April 2025
Medium: Acrylic
A peaceful moment captured in time. This painting captures one of my favorite moments in the most enchanting place I traveled in Italy, the town of Porto Venere.
Porto Venere is a village on the Ligurian coast of northwestern Italy.
I wanted to capture the serene relationship between this lounging local and the infamous rocky beaches in this quaint village. Porto Venere felt as if I had stepped straight into a miraculous paradise and I needed to share this profound sense of peace.
Reference Photo by Jillian Leleux, Porto Venere, Italy, June 2024
Color Palette:
beauty, love, & Evil
Created: June 2024
Medium: Intaglio Printmaking, Softground
Inspired by the statuesque women of art history I encountered during my studies in Florence, this piece draws from classical representations of Venus, Mary Magdalene, and the sculpture of Perseus with Medusa. Each figure embodies a cultural archetype, Beauty, Love, and Evil, revealing how women have been idealized through time.
This print invites viewers to reconsider the way women are depicted in historical narratives. At the base of their shared column, a Latin translation of the title nods to classical art and highlights the lasting impact of these representations.
yearning fish
Created: June 2024
Medium: Intaglio Printmaking, Aquatint
This piece was inspired by a bustling market I visited during my first days in Florence. I was immediately drawn to the beauty and abundance of the scene, taking countless photos to capture its vivid energy.
What captivated me most was the way the fish were arranged—positioned as if reaching toward the viewer, almost alive in their stillness. In that moment, I began to see them not just as objects for sale, but as frozen characters caught in a silent yearning. Their forms, preserved in time, seemed to express a desire to escape their box.
The background evokes the sensory richness of the market—the sharp, unmistakable scent of fresh catch, the cool textures, and the way their glassy, wide eyes seemed to follow me, demanding attention even in death.
Reference Photo by Jillian Leleux, Florence, Italy, May 2024
Black & White Edition