My work investigates plants, history, memory, territory, and belonging, exploring how experiences of place and relocation shape the emotional connections we form with our environments. Over time, plants have become a central presence in my practice—not only as metaphorical motifs, but as living beings with their own histories, resilience, and ways of adapting.

I consider plants as companions in foreign lands, guides through change, and witnesses to memory. They can be uprooted, transplanted, or naturalized, mirroring human experiences of movement and adaptation. This perspective leads me to ask: How have we seen and interacted with plants? What kinds of relationships have we cultivated or neglected? And, ultimately, what does it mean to share this era of environmental challenges with them?

Based between Austin, Texas, and Tustin, California, Colombian-born visual artist Leila Ali explores the plant world through watercolor, colored pencil, and photography. She began her career as a botanical illustrator in 2022, and through this discipline, she investigates her personal connection to place and belonging. Over time, botanical illustration became her full-time passion. Leila completed the Certificate in Botanical Illustration at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and is currently pursuing the Diploma in Botanical Art (DipSBA) with the Society of Botanical Artists UK. Her work has been widely exhibited across Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, South Korea, and the United States.