Sabena Leake is an emerging artist whose portraits capture not just her subjects' physical likeness, but the essence that makes each of them unique. A lawyer by trade, Sabena, who is self-taught, is entering the next chapter of her life pursuing her creative interests at the Art Students League of New York. "For all of the ways that humans are anatomically similar, the endless ways that we are different fascinates me to no end. I enjoy capturing these differences with the elegance and efficiency of the line. With it, I’m able to visually lay bare the living truths in my subjects’ presence that I find most compelling. I love pencil for the simplicity, immediacy and high level of control it provides. Most of my portraits are grounded by toned, textured or black paper, providing a background from which my subjects emerge. I use color strategically to frame or act as a counterpoint to the subject, but always in service of the beauty of the line."