Alicia Leeke
| Alicia Leeke | |
|---|---|
| Born | South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Columbia College (art), University of South Carolina (B.A. journalism) |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | post-impressionistic |
| Website |
www |
Alicia Leeke is an American painter and artist working and residing in Columbia, South Carolina. She is best known for her post-impressionistic style and incorporation of Fauvism. Her artwork is distinctive for its dry brush painting technique, gentle distortion of linear perspective, and use of thick line and brush strokes.[1]
Early life
Leeke was born in South Carolina. She began her education at Columbia College,[2] an all-girls private liberal arts school,[3] to study Fine Art.[4] She later transferred to the University of South Carolina where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.[1]
Art direction and publishing
Leeke worked for six years at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as the Art Director.[4] Leeke then worked at General Binding Corporation in outside sales.[1]
Art career
Interested in developing her artistic talent, Leeke took art classes at the Columbia Museum of Art.[1] She also studied under Virginia Anderson and Ginger Munnerlin.[2] Inspired by the French Impressionist masters, she further developed her own loose, abstract style. In the summer of 2008, she experimented with her palette by using a technique known as Color Field painting and began painting city and landscapes in bright, vibrant colors.[1][2][5] She developed a brushstroke style,[1][4][5] using acrylics in a way to give the appearance of oils and included "intense black lines."[2]
Leeke has painted and marketed silk scarves and consumer products, such as mouse pads, coloring books, and greeting cards.[1][4] Although some paintings may take up to a year, she generally prefers to make a painting alla prima, all in one sitting. She likes the natural light of plein air painting.[5]
Subject, themes, and methods
Leeke’s work is inspired by South Carolina's coastal landscape as well as the urban Columbia, New York City, Paris and Venice.[1][5] The quaint street scenes and sprawling landscapes found in her paintings strive to capture the essence of common events and convert them into lively images of color and movement. During an inspiring trip to Montmartre in France, Leeke developed an interest in Fauvism and began to incorporate intense black lines into her work.[1][5]
While the majority of her art involves abstract cityscapes and landscapes.[1][5] She also paints cathedrals.[4]
Influence
Leeke’s visits to Europe served as inspiration for many of her works. Her Columbia cityscapes often have the charming appeal of street scenes in Paris, like the painting, Nonnah’s, in which she captures Columbia's vista and Paris' personality.[4]
She has been influenced by the works of French Impressionist masters, such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Maurice Utrillo, Georges Rouault,[1][4] Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Piet Mondrian.[4] She was inspired by the way they conveyed social conscience, history and architecture.[2]
Her personal style, a blending of the old world influences and contemporary art, she calls Fabaism,[4][5] or Constructionism.[2]
Exhibitions
This is a partial list of exhibitions,[6] such as:
- 2008 - Piccolo Spoleto Vanishing Landscapes Exhibition[7]
- 2008 - McKissick Museum's "Spring for Art" exhibition.[8]
- 2008 - Florence Art Museum[6]
- 2009 - "Parallel 32, 47, 79, 56," a selection of Leeke's landscapes of the South Carolina shore at the Courtyard Art Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina[9]
- 2009 - Showing of her work landscape and cityscape paintings, "Frame of Mind," Columbia Museum of Art[5][6]
- 2009 - "One-of-a-Kind" show, New York[6]
- 2009 - "One-of-a-Kind" show, Chicago[6]
- 2010 - "Let It Snow," works of 36 artists at The Newark School of the Arts Gallery[10]
- 2010 - Piccolo Spoleto USA[6]
- 2013 - Frame of Mind’s monthly art shows[11][12]
- 2013 - Center for Contemporary Studies exhibition in Columbia.[13]
Leeke also exhibits her work on an ongoing basis in Columbia, South Carolina at the Alicia Leeke Fine Art Studio.[14] She was named by Charlotte's Red Sky Gallery as an Emerging Artist in 2006[15]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Deena C. Bouknight (July 1, 2006). "From Sketches to Scarves, Her Art Evolves". The State Newspaper. p. E3.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Alicia Leeke". Saatchi Online. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Why Columbia College?". Columbia College. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Kristine Hartvigsen (July 2008). "World Muse: Local artist inspired by European masters". Lake Murray Magazine: 58–59.
subsequent page is at: this page
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Margaret Gregory (October 2009). "Color Her World: Artist Alicia Leeke’s vibrant home". Columbia Metropolitan: 48–51.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Exhibits". Alicia Leeke. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Alicia Leeke Artist Portfolio". Absolute Arts. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ "McKissick Museum to ‘Spring for Art’ March 28". USC (University of South Carolina) News. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ Olivia Pool (September 17, 2009). "Alicia Leeke interprets the Lowcountry in new exhibit". The Post and Courier (Charleston).
- ↑ Local Talk News Editor (December 9, 2010). "Newark School of the Arts to Host "Let It Snow" Exhibition on Dec. 10". localtalknews.com.
- ↑ "One Columbia kickoff tonight on Main Street: Frame of Mind’s monthly art show". The State. April 4, 2013.
- ↑ "Art Planner: Frame of Mind’s monthly art show". The State. March 31, 2013.
- ↑ "701 Center for Contemporary Art Announces Participating Artists for Columbia Open Studios, March 23-24, 2013". Carolina Art News. January 30, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ "SC Commercial Galleries" (PDF). Alicia Leeke Fine Art Studio. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
- ↑ ."Gallery 80808 in Columbia, SC, Features Works by Alicia Leeke". Carolina Arts. Shoestring Publishing Company. May 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
