Today we’d like to introduce you to Leo Lashley.
Hi Leo, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was adopted from Seoul, South Korea, and I was raised in a small suburb in Texas. I grew up interested in everything, from building rockets to performing magic tricks, but I was always drawn to the arts (*badum tss*). My family is full of artists, so my childhood was influenced by many forms of creativity. I loved how Disney films touched my heart, how comedy sketches made me laugh, and how music lifted my spirits. I remember watching Steven Universe and learning about Rebecca Sugar’s songwriting and storytelling skills. I think that was my honing spark of inspiration, and it established the line of work I want to pursue.
As a teenager, I originally wanted to be an aerospace engineer. I was intrigued by the marvel and difficulty of creating flying machines. However, when discussing my future endeavors, my parents pointed out how I wasn’t particularly interested in math. They reminded me about how every moment I wasn’t busy with school or extracurricular activities, I spent my time drawing. With their encouragement, I realized I should follow what my heart truly loved to do – creating stories through art and music.
I learned about CalArts from my mom showing me their summer program, Discover Animation. I got in, and for the first time, I felt seen by a community that shared the same passions for creativity. When CalArts accepted me as a BFA Character Animation student, I also felt accepted to just be myself. I was free to do what my heart desired, to be as imaginative and ambitious as I wanted. I had the honor of finding my best friends, learning from the greats, collaborating with talented peers, and creating films with my own hands. I feel like as I discovered animation, I began a continual discovery of who I am. And now that I’ve graduated, I spend my time expressing myself through art, as well as sharing my hope, joy, and whimsy for life to the world. 🙂
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?
I can’t say my journey has been the smoothest of roads. I was diagnosed with ADHD in high school, and after living with it for many years, it has given me my fair share of struggles. To describe my ADHD, imagine a clear, straight road that leads to completing a task. It could be anything, like washing the dishes, to drawing storyboards. And then– BAM! Suddenly, there’s this random obstacle blocking the path! It’s impossible to move forward now! And I can’t allow myself to steer off the path, walking around the obstacle – it would be *so much faster* if I continued down on the road– ugh! If only this obstacle weren’t in the way!
Throughout college, I struggled to help myself. I loved extending my hand out for my peers, I loved cheering them on and seeing their films and projects come to fruition. But I had trouble giving myself the same level of dedication and love. My animation, my music, my creativity – the projects I once had passion for dwindled into obligation, where nothing I created was good enough, nor what it “had to be”. And instead of returning to my roots on why I love to create, I would spiral, ultimately accomplishing nothing.
For me, the saying, “you are your own worst critic” is remarkably accurate. But thankfully, I don’t fight this battle alone. I have my friends to accompany me around the obstacles, I have my family to lean on, and I have my partner to always remind me to have hope and pursue my dreams. They encourage me, support me, and challenge me to persevere. My loved ones helped build my resilience, and through them, I remain inspired to tell my stories through the wonders of art.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work’s primary source of inspiration is the many ways we express ourselves. I love exploring what makes a character tick and how they act throughout their life. As a story artist, capturing a specific feeling for the audience is crucial. In my animatic, “A B.F.F. (A Best Friends’ Finale)”, I took pride when my classmates were tearing up from my story. I have the same feeling when people laugh at my comics or are endeared by my illustrations. With my work, I want to reach out to the audience and tell them, “No matter what the story is, whether simple or nuanced, subtle or boisterous, it was worth telling. Thank you for letting me share it with you.”
With that, I’d say my distinguishing quality in art is my ability to convey emotion. I perform through drawing, and I move audiences with my character animations and storyboards. It all comes from a genuine sense of love for my characters and stories. I see them as extensions of myself. And in each and every one of my works, there is a little piece of me – eager to inspire and invoke something heartfelt to you, the viewer!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’ve mentioned I compose music, but many folks don’t realize how long music has been a part of my life! I was in orchestra and band, I took piano lessons, and I taught myself the ukulele. I was so much of a band geek that I became a Drum Major for my high school marching band, and I played the euphonium all the way from middle school through college.
Songwriting started out as my own personal way for self-expression. I love creating melodies and lyrics based on moments in my life. I tend to favor bittersweet themes, like in “this is life”, which is a song about nostalgia and homesickness. Or in “Another Day”, a song reminding me to keep going, despite everything. More recently, I’ve been composing music scores for my work, like for my previously mentioned “A B.F.F. (A Best Friends’ Finale)”, as well as for my current film in development, “JABBERWOCKY”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leolashley.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seawaveleo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-lashley/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seawaveleo
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/seawaveleo
- Other: https://seawaveleo.tumblr.com/
