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.
Shortly I’ll be heading to my bed. Hoping for a sleep that’s deep. Unbroken. So needed. So required also.
A busy day awaits tomorrow, as I head to @sconepalacegardenfair for day 1 of the event.
As I sleep, the moon will watch over me, shining rich and bright in the night sky above.
With equal comfort, the stars will shine. One brighter tonight than ever before. ✨💚
Like lullaby from moon close slumber, I will rest into the darkness and let it sing my soul to sleep.
“Moths to the Moon”, the night winged pollinators dance in the night. Flitting from plant to plant.
Early doors I’ll wake and travel my way to Scone.
This new print will be coming along with me. Perthshire bound. Gathering to where the light shines brightest.
☀️✨🌻🌸💚
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
A little green butterfly on my collar today. Sat alongside my albatross for my Mum, and my lighthouse for my Dad. Three souls remembered.
My dad was part of the design of the butterfly. Awards given in Aberdeenshire for the environment. For people who cared greatly about the land, the landscape, the animals, birds and creepy crawlies who resided there.
Worn today, to remember, and pay tribute, to one of the world’s brightest light bringers. Archie 💚 His favourite colour.
Love sent to Archie’s family. Love sent to all who need it.
One foot in front of the other, we continue. Doing as he, they, would wish us to. That’s how the love continues.
With every footstep forwards taken.
Love Jen x
#TeamArchie
#greenbutterfly
#JOYimprinted
#thelovecontinuesthroughyou
This Friday 29th & Saturday 30th May you will be able to find me, and a host of other creatives nestled amongst lots of beautiful blooms, plants and lovely folks at @sconepalacegardenfair
It’s a gorgeous event, which has become one of my very favourite places to be!
My tent will be full of new work that I’m excited to show you. There are great speakers during the two days who I know will be so inspiring, and the show gardens and people’s choice gardens too!
There is so much to see and do, lots for the wee ones and plenty of water bowls and shade from all the beautiful surrounding trees should your doggy pals require it!
We can’t wait to see you!
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#scottishartistandwriter
#helpingyoufindyourhappyasigoaboutmylifefindingmine
#makingspacesothelightcangetin
Stamps of Moth in a round 🌕
Framing up this eclipse, each moth in singular floating mount within tiny wooden frame.
Treasures, each of them, ready to be placed on my stand at @sconepalacegardenfair this Friday and Saturday!
Tiny artwork, in size, maybe. In effort, love, time and process, each one feels very special to me!
I’m excited for you all to see them in real life!
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#moths
#stampsizedart
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
e m p e r o r m o t h
There is a richness of tone I find, when I paint patterned details. A complimentary to my paint choices, that works as to make the colours sing.
Moths are quiet, to me they have an air of silence, tranquility. Night time visitations to the moon gardens of our world.
I have read, that a collective noun of moths is an eclipse, which I couldn’t love more, truth be told. I imagine multitudes flying towards our Man in the Moon, and their presence enough to cast a shadow, like the earth. Moth shadows clustering across our brightly viewed moon surface. Night sky illuminated.
Pollinators still, they dance in a solemn waltz from flower to flower. Bloom to bloom. Traversing leafy borders, so as to carry those plants on into our futures.
I will have my own eclipse of moths with me at @sconepalacegardenfair this Friday and Saturday.
I’m nervous, as ever. This year even moreso than usual. It’s one of my very favourite places though, and I hope you all love and are bewitched by all my new work, as much as I have been in the making.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#emperormoth
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
b l o o m w h e r e y o u a r e
A day that felt like absolute magic. Started with the gym and long solo sunny Sunday morning walk.
The air was filled with birdsong. A birdie tally consisting of…
Dunnock
Jackdaw
Treecreeper
Blackcap
Carrion Crow
Song Thrush
(Common cuckoo, so Merlin told me anyway!)
Blue tit
Goldcrest
Wren
Blackbird
Pheasant
Wood-pigeon
Goldfinch
Coal tit
Rook
Chaffinch
Robin
House Sparrow
Magpie
Greater whitethroat
Skylark
Willow warbler.
Such a treat to the ears. The eyes also upon spotting them in tree, on roadside, or sky.
Gifted garden poppies opened now, with purple pollen joy on view.
A beach day. Sand in toes.
Ladybird alighting on hand.
Alba joy for bosies and purrs.
Just the loveliest day. So needed.
Taking a bit of time out to enjoy our little family around me. Lots of laughs and chatter.
They always tell you that these days go so fast. I’m becoming more and more aware of it. Trying to slow it down a bit and savour my girls while they’re still relatively young!
#JOYimprinted
I choose to notice, and make sure to ‘Let The Light In’ every week.
Days can pass without making space to witness joy, but if we choose to keep our eyes and our hearts open, our lives are made brighter… richer… happier.
Be open to opportunities, invites and micro noticings, tiny joys that may seem insignificant, but which are actually where the magic lives.
Eyes and heart wide open.
Light exists. ☀️✨💛
P.S. guess who had which ‘bad dream’
#JOYimprinted
#letthelightin
#makingspacesothelightcangetin
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
scottishartistandwriter
Another tiny stamp sized artwork... 💌
With sports day cancelled yesterday, due to slippy grass, it meant I could continue working on some of these new small scale originals instead.
A quiet day. That began with a birdsong run in breaking sunlight. Girls to school, I headed to the gym. Then home.
With my husband home too, we pottered about our day. Me painting, him trying to fix our Hoover, which sadly seems to have given up the ghost!
We chatted and we had cups of coffee. Spoke of our little family and what’s ahead in the weeks to come.
I am working on a group of paintings of my Dad. Words also, and we looked upon them, discussed what they are about.
Missing Dad. The light that remains. The light that is found in memory and day to day by remembering who he was in my/our worlds.
And my stamps. “Sending Love”. This greater body of work, over arcing, like a golden thread, linking it all together.
Messages sent, letting people know we love them, miss them, care for them still.
These little watercolour painted stamps, are to all be float mounted, and placed into box frames. A selection of them, will be coming with me to @sconepalacegardenfair this time next week.
Where, I hope they will be sent to new forever homes. The love travelling onto walls and homes, where new families can be filled with their warmth. Tiny moths, seeking light in the dark. The moonlight. The daylight.
The light that will continue to shine. Wherever they fly to.
We continue.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#moths
#sendinglove
#tinyartworks
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
Even on land, my Dad always looked like a sailor.
High seas, or tall weeds, a meadow, his ocean.
Paths like lighthouse light trails. Etched into land, as light would span seas. Darkest skies. Criss crossed.
Storm clouds on horizon, whether water or land far.
Crashing waves a treetop woodland.
Cliffs as hillsides.
He existed in both as if it were the same. To him, and to me I realise, they were. They are. They always will be.
My dad was a sailor.
I’m glad he was safe on dry land though.
~JML
#JOYimprinted
#mydad
#lostatseawhilstsafeondryland
#landorsea
#JennaMartinLeitchWriter
Sea Pinks… Sea Thrift
“In some coastal folklore, Sea Thrifts were thought to be a guardian for sailors, guiding them to safety… A symbol of hope, good luck, endurance and protection.”
A tiny plant that tucks itself into nooks upon clifftops, and clings in the strongest of gales. I love to imagine, it does this, so that it can beckon sailors home.
My dad was a sailor. A navigator himself, he was the one who was charged with the duty of getting the ships from one place to another, safely and without hitch. I love to imagine a co-existence with the sea pinks, whereby they worked together to make this be so.
Guardians of the seas.
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#thrift
#seapink
#JOYimprinted
#sailors
A little bit ‘About Me’! 💛
It’s been a wee while since I did a re-introduction! I’ve had a flurry of new faces join me recently, here and in real life, so I thought I’d tell you a little more about myself, and who I am in this world of mine!
Glad to have you along for the journey!
Feel free to tell me who you are and how you found me, or why you love seeing what I get up to and my work.
Jen x
#JOYimprinted
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
#JennaMartinLeitchWriter
#scottishartistandwriter
Photos either my own, or taken by the ever wonderful @jillyjillystudio
The moon in my bluebells. A welcome home from this glorious dandelion clock. Nestled in our border. A ramshackle abundance of all that fancies growing there. Currently very left to it’s own devices, the plants which choose to grow do as they please. This clock, moon shining… like a calming influence to the demonstrative and uninhibited seedlings and sprouts around and about him.
Just back in from a sunshiny early run and looking forward to my coffee which is brewing on the stove.
One of my life’s considerable pleasures. A quiet cuppa, just me, the cats, and my notebooks for company.
Perfection.
🌕
#JOYimprinted
#dandelionclocl
#moon
#JennaMartinLeitchArtist
