A self-taught artist and native of south Louisiana, Alesha L. Barnett has been drawing and painting since childhood. In high school, she took art classes under Mrs. Judy Nickens and credits her father, Freddie Barnett, Sr., for her natural talent. Upon graduation, she continued to develop her art by trying different styles, techniques and mediums and enjoys unique canvases such as slate, wood, large shells, alligator teeth, cypress knees, and others. Saw blades from her father's sawmill are her favorite.

On the educational front, Ms. Barnett has worked with the Ascension Parish School System under a grant through EATEL teaching Gifted and Talented classes. She also used her skills to help behaviorally challenged students who have an aptitude for art. At Hastings Academy in Prairieville, LA, she taught an art class each week to students with dyslexia. She also directed the summer Arts Program at Elite Gymnastics in Baton Rouge, LA.

Locally, Ms. Barnett's art has been on display in several galleries including the Southern Tangent Gallery in Sorrento, LA. Some of her favorite commissioned works are murals. She has designed and implemented backdrops for local school plays and has done several murals for schools and gyms. Elite Gymnastics features the most murals by Ms. Barnett in one location. These include a rock wall scene, a lobby painting commemorating the year 2000, a frog mural on the back wall of the gym, along with many other creations commissioned by the owner, Johnny Moyal. She prides herself in creating the limited edition posters for the Boucherie Festival in Sorrento each year.

In 2008, the artist spent a full year in the Southern California countryside. "Artistically, the amazing scenery and unique lighting of the area brought about a renewed style with an accent on light effects," she said. On that hiatus, she expanded her skills using calligraphy, illumination and Pen & Ink. She feels that the time away from home greatly influenced her artistic style and has brought forth the art that she is most proud of to date.

Larry Corrent has contributed greatly to helping Ms. Barnett expose her art to a larger audience and encourages her to pursue her dreams.

"My work has grown in many ways to become a more exact representation of where I want [my art] to go. Things I never would have attempted before, I now embrace with imagination and delight. Being able to truly immerse myself in artistic expression is an experience that has opened countless doors for me both professionally and personally. It has always been a dream of mine to focus the majority of my energy on creating art that moves people. I believe I’m finally on the road to achieving that dream. I hope that art enthusiast will appreciate my creations and the quality pieces that I produce. Self-taught artists are the Da Vinci's and Michelangelo's of today." ~ Alesha L. Barnett