Hayley Leonard

Statement

My work is a continuation of recent trends seen within contemporary art. Described as the ‘grey’ area of painting, the fine line that separates non representational and representational painting is continuing to provide many new challenges and inspiration for new works amongst today’s contemporary painters.

Combining figurative ideas with abstract tendencies my work is a combination of both felt and visual perception. My necessity to record through the use of paint the emotive qualities and experience of the subject as well as the subject itself, heralds back to the teachings of Bomberg and ‘The School of London’ artists.

My work, a grouping of strikingly individual paintings ranging from the more loose calligraphy brushwork to the tighter and emphatic brush marks within the still-life present more questions to the viewer than answers. For me the subject almost becomes secondary to the act of painting itself. I thrive upon the spontaneity painting allows. The decisive mark, the build-up of paint through the laying and relaying of marks, surface textures and fracture of medium are all a result of my continuous dialogue with the painted surface to reveal the seen and experienced within the image.

Education

2005 - 2008 University of Wales Institute Cardfiff (U.W.I.C) BA (hons) Fine Art painting

2003 BTEC Diploma Foundation Studies Glamorgan Centre for Art and Design Technology, Pontypridd

Exhibitions

2008 Group show '2nd Wave', Bute Space Gallery and Studies, Cardiff

2008 Group Show 'New Wave', Bute Space Gallery and Studios, Cardiff

2008 Degree Show University of Wales Institute Cardiff (U.W.I.C)

2003 Group Show Glamorgan Centre for Art and Design, Glyntaff, Pontypridd

1995 Group Show Drumlandrig Place, Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland