Welcome to my website!
My name is Jenna Martin Leitch and I’m an artist, illustrator and writer from Fife, Scotland.
My work is inspired by the treasures I find, in my everyday life and in the natural world. The joy they bring to me. The “happy” they make me feel.
I collect things; In my pockets, through my eyes, with my mind, and in my heart. The things we have lost. The things we have found. The sum of our parts. Through written word, drawn line, and painted hue; I make sure the magic is remembered and the JOY I FEEL is paid forward.
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The way the light shines through… golden and transfixing.
Early morning time outside, is one of the ways I choose to start my days. Walking, or running in that brightest, and most warming, morning light settles me into my day just perfectly.
Today, I have chosen a cup of coffee in my favourite mug. Back door open to sounds of birdsong. Some writing. Some life admin emails sent.
Diary entries. Journal. Oracle card.
Quietness.
Different ways, to work through the same worries, the same plans. Just in a different format.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#noticings
#earlymorninglight
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I always seem to come back to plumage and feathers…
I’ve been thinking a lot recently, about my practice, and my time, energy… what I choose to focus on. What I choose to ruminate over, ponder, the most.
I’ve spoken to a friend about seasons a lot recently. Periods in life, where things seem to shift, change and expand or contract in various places or ways.
People come and go, as do wants, as do hopes. We evolve and change and it can feel unsettling, whilst also feeling like an exciting place to be.
Shifting sands are not my favourite, yet sometimes the very ground we stand upon, feet intact, is what needs to unbalance us, so as we can move forward.
Loved ones die. Our children reach puberty. Midlife hits like a sledgehammer. Whilst also, friends from forever, feel closer than ever before. We love our nearest more than ever. We realise the comfort in home, nature and in the simple things.
I have always just wanted to be able to keep creating. Writing. Placing brush and pencil to surface and letting what I see and feel in my mind, be shown. Be known.
I am not sure where the next while will take me… and that is something that actually feels good.
Grief makes us realise, that these periods are not actually the problem. These process shifts are lucky happenings, and we are lucky to be amongst them. Stormy seas to safe harbour.
Where there is pain, there is also joy. We seek it out all the more. We want to do ourselves and them, proud.
Joy will continue. That much I know.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#JennaMartinLeitchWriter
#scottishartistandwriter
#yellowhammer
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These words form part of a new written piece artwork, that is currently on show with the @art.and.nature.collective in the @greengallery.dbg within Dundee Botanical Gardens.
It feels right to share them again today.
Jenna x
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#mydad
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If you could receive a letter through the post today, from anyone, who would you choose?
The choice is all yours, from your now or your memories… What news would they bring? What stories would they tell you? I wonder…
I love snail mail. I’ll be honest, I have letters stowed away from my childhood… which likely, is no surprise to many.
I love to write a letter, and I am someone who always tries to keep in touch with people; check in, let them know I am thinking of them.
What we consider to be mundane in our own life, can be like a diamond, a ray of light, a breath of fresh air, in another’s day.
This poem, is printed on air mail paper, and packaged with an air mail envelope, should you wish to send it onwards. Or keep for yourself, stored on your book shelf, just so. Folded and placed within.
There is one such poem printed letter, awaiting your arrival, in Crail. As part of @crailfestival @crail_festival_art_exhibition in the beautiful East Neuk of Fife.
Along with many other pieces of my work, my range of #JOYimprinted, and framed original artworks besides.
Send someone you love, or miss, a message to tell them you’re thinking of them today. Even better, write them a letter (it doesn’t have to be long), and pop it in an envelope with a postage stamp, send it on its way.
“With love… and a postage stamp”
Printed poem on airmail paper, with envelope within.
Jenna Martin Leitch
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#snailmail
#withlove
#withloveandapostagestamp
(Many of the props in this photo were my Dads. Bits and pieces from his belongings and merchant navy memorabilia of his days at sea. Today would have been his 87th birthday)
📸 @jillyjillystudio
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I had not found a feather of a tiny bird in a while. Always the feathers of crow, or of rook, or of magpie, Woodpigeon… gull.
Then yesterday, on quiet walk after longest run in a while this little beauty lay in my path. Glinting like a jewel, linear to the paths disheveled mud and gravel.
There were lilacs and greens within its quills. Grey is never just grey, and it’s always a comfort to notice the intricacies of colour palette evident.
Like many before, it’s finding felt significant. Meant for only me. A feather foundling. To be cared for, and painted for the keeping.
I was walking the same path last week, mere days ago, really, when I realised no-one could answer my questions anymore. No-one would have the answers to my history, my memories. Shared and in tandem with another’s life. The lives of my Mum, and my Dad. In relation to me, and the parts of my life they knew the answers to.
I realised, that I am the answer. No-one else. Just me. Me.
Also, I am now that to my own children. She who is as they were to me.
My friends have always said, that I am the memory of our group. Friends since school, I remember details others have forgotten, or intricacies they chose to not care to remember in the first place.
Perhaps, I am the lucky one…
Lucky to find this feather.
Also, lucky to have a brain, a memory such as mine, in the fact of the loss of those who helped hold my memories also, until they left this world.
Perhaps.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#foundfeather
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#JennaMartinLeitchWriter
A selection of these wee souls flew as the crow flies with me this morning over to Crail in the gorgeous East Neuk of Fife for @crailfestival @crail_festival_art_exhibition
Running from Wednesday 22nd July, you’ll be able to view and purchase a variety of artworks, as well as a collection of my own.
Fife is so beautiful, and it was the sunniest and most nature packed drive over there. After a very early morning run, and some time spent writing in my journal beforehand, I feel my day has been very full and wonderful already!!!
ALL and it’s not even lunchtime yet!!!!
Have a beautiful day all.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#birdiesinflight
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#luminouslongtailedtit
📸 @jillyjillystudio
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Golden evening wanders while the tiny specs of sunshine dancers drift into and out of view.
Web spun wonder, in suspended plant held recline. The light glints on threads born from spider. Aloft.
Captured. Caught. A glimpse of tiny places, where beasties live, and sway in air and breeze, unhindered.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
And the grasses swayed... the breeze, playing amongst their stems... alighting, momentarily... before passing to the next. A gentle resting transience.
Here one minute. Gone the next.
Our time here is fleeting... just as the grass is moved by another... the air that passes between each one... as are we.
We feel the loss. We feel the joy. We feel the love. All those kindnesses. That are left... That will never leave. The passage of time... The spirits will ever travel on the breeze. Resting easy. On each blade of grass.
Sending love & light... 🤍
#JOYimprinted
#skylark
#thegrassessway
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#ourharvestsong
Into the forever… 🤍
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
With space created in the last week or so, with holiday days, and time outside, a gorgeous quietness has settled into my soul.
I feel guided by intuition, and an inner calm I’ve not felt in a long time.
My nervous system feels balanced. My energy feels bright. I feel a gladness and a grace, that I think can only be conjured by time in a somewhere else.
The four of us, as normal, but in a place unfamiliar to us, and that sense of adventure and exploration, somehow, makes me feel MORE rested than the normal busy day to day.
In the next few days I’ll be packing all my chosen creations and artworks to take along to @crail_festival_art_exhibition as part of @crailfestival
This Emperor Moth brooch is part of the collection I will be showing, and after my brush with a real life Hummingbird Hawk Moth whilst away, I feel a pull to these beautifully named, and detailed, winged wonders than ever before.
Their names are like poetry. I feel like my brain would like to create some more imagined moths of my own.
Anyway, today I was back at work at the vets, and it was also, lovely to see my friends there again. Bosies aplenty, and blethers (and my fave work dogs!) I’ve missed.
I hope your day has been lovely too.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#emperormoth
@jillyjillystudio
Ship tops.
Crows nests.
Lines on blue.
Imagining long voyages to distant shores. All weathers and white sails in billow.
We journey in life and in mind.
#GoldenHind
#JOYimprinted
#nauticalimaginings
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
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To feel free as a bird (two birds in fact!)
To fly, unhindered and with only sky to hold us. To lift us.
A Martin I am, and I too am delighted by feeling fresh air on my face, looking to blue skies, seeing the horizon in distance.
Birdsong. Songs. Birds.
We continue.
“I Can’t Keep This Moment”
12x12 inch fine art giclée print
One of these prints flew off to a new home from one of my stockists @creative.strathaven in the last week or so. What happy news!
Also…
One of these prints will be headed to the @crailfestival @crail_festival_art_exhibition this Sunday to be exhibited amongst a collection of my work, available for purchase, in the glorious East Neuk of Fife.
Visit if you can!
Jen x
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#JOYimprinted
#housemartin
#icantkeepthismoment
📸 @jillyjillystudio
Song lyric inspo from “Hold It” by @pictishtrail
