Leila

Tell us about Leila's artwork.

Leila Bahtijaragic’s artwork is inspired by her love for the ocean and the wonder of bioluminescence. Every weekend, she goes to the beach for volleyball lessons, where she watches surfers ride the waves and imagines the water glowing as they move, with trails of light shining behind them. These moments spark her creativity and shape the stories she brings to life through her art. She uses resin, blue liquid ink, acrylic paint, glow pigments, and UV light to recreate the beauty of the ocean at

Who or what inspires Leila to create?

Leila is inspired most by her mom. Growing up, she watched her paint for hours in the living room, and from a young age she wanted to sit beside her and create too. Those quiet moments painting together made her fall in love with art. Being encouraged to try new ideas and express herself gave Leila the confidence to keep creating and find her own style.

What is Leila's favorite art form?

Leila’s favorite art form is mixed media painting. She loves using resin, acrylics, ink, and especially glow paints to create ocean scenes with texture and life. One of her favorite parts is testing the glow paint and watching it light up the room at night. She also enjoys adding small handmade details like cardboard surfboards and clay figures, bringing her imagination to life in a fun, creative way.