Artist Profile: Leslie Damaso
(Image courtesy of Leslie Damaso)
Leslie Damaso is a Filipino-American singer, piano and voice teacher, and artist. Her most recent album, May Laya, won a Madison Area Music Award for Best World Music Album in 2019. Classically trained in vocal performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Leslie now owns and operates Buttonhill Music Studio in the historic arts community of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Besides music lessons, the studio also serves to showcase one-of-a-kind artists and musicians “leaning toward the unusual and delightful”. She also runs a fashion-focused Instagram called MPStreetstyle, currently featuring the #maskequalslove campaign.
1) What are challenges you've encountered to being a "creativepreneur"?
It is definitely a challenge to make a steady income with creative work. When there is an opportunity, I think it’s important to always set your artistic value and not give away your creative work for free. There will be instances where you might not get as much but it opens the door to more opportunities and connections.
2) How do you think networking can impact an artist’s career?
It’s important to be aware of your community. Start with your friends and family. Inquire: What are they doing? Read the news, attend events, talk to people and ask questions. Be curious! Every person comes with an incredible set of experiences that make them so unique. It is a real pleasure for me to get to know as many people as possible and see how I can connect them to others. Meet people where their passions are and be open to possibilities.
3) How do you seek out new artistic inspiration?
I try to practice every day. I look for muses everywhere: in fashion, dance, literature and music. It’s so easy to connect with people from anywhere in the world now so if there is something I find particularly exciting, I reach out directly to the source. Sometimes you get a reply, sometimes you don’t. I find that kids and people (of all age) can impart very important lessons. After eating up all of the information, it’s important to meditate. Some of my best ideas come after yin yoga class or while I’m out on a ramble in the woods.
4) Give an example of an "artistic collaboration" you are currently involved with.
Currently, I’m collaborating with Madison based band, Mr. Chair. We are recording remotely and planning a video shoot in the next month. The piece is a protest song from the Philippines and considered to be the second unofficial national anthem of the country. When the first Filipinos came to the United States through Louisiana and California as farm laborers, the men would sing it in the fields when they were homesick. The project will be revealed through the Madison Area Music Association (MAMA) in the fall (plus more will be released in 2021).
I am also working on a writing project that involves chronicling my periodic work throughout the year alongside my friend Mike Manogue at his apple and pear orchard (The Tippy Top). This man practices something he likes to call “beyond organic”. He planted over 350 trees and built his own house himself with stones from an old barn some 30 years ago. And he grows the best apples and pears I’ve ever tasted. After working on thinning some of the trees last week, we dug up some potatoes (which would solely be our lunch; simply boiled and with butter and salt).
I only recently started doing visual art. My first solo show was in 2019 and featured watercolor and pen works incorporating an ancient Filipino script called Baybayin. I have created two pieces since our regional COVID-19 quarantine began on March 13. I plan on producing more by the end of the year and hope to find a way to exhibit them next year.
I don’t know if any of these projects will have any significant impact on the local community, but I’m happy to be working on them—in conjunction with other people— as I continue to meditate on the essence of life; and how we can make truly meaningful connections.