Kirsty O'Leary-Leeson

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Originally I trained as an illustrator and worked in publishing, however in 2009 after having spent some time raising more children than is really sensible I decided to escape from the Playground Mafia and I returned to Art college to study Fine Art. I graduated with a First Class degree in 2011 from Norwich University of the Arts. Since then I have exhibited widely across the UK, and have work in public and private collections here and internationally, my work is now far better travelled than I am. I have been a finalist in the International Saatchi Drawing Showdown, featured in series 2 of the BBC 2 Programme 'Show Me the Monet' and was Visual Art Trader's Artist of the Month, they wrote of my work: "The senses of emotional uncertainty, of time evaporating and of forgotten memories in Kirsty's drawings are made all the more powerful by the beautiful and precise execution of the images."

Although I still paint with my illustration and portraiture work, my Fine Art body of work is based around drawing.

Artist Statement
"Landscape is a portrait of the soul"
I explore the spaces we exist in, both physical and psychological. I use the landscape which surrounds me as a metaphor for my inner life of imaginat...

BA Hons Fine Art: 1st Class
Norwich University College of the Arts

HND Illustration
Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design

Please visit my website for my cv www.kirstyoleary.com