Kirsty O'Leary-Leeson

This blog is linked to my Tumblr site.
Norfolk based Artist, working and exhibiting Internationally

Kirsty O'leary-Leeson; Artist

I am an emerging artist who graduated from Norwich University College of the Arts June 2011, with a first class degree in Fine Art. I have been a finalist in the International Saatchi Drawing Showdown, have exhibited across the Uk and also appeared in the BBC 2 Programme 'Show Me the Monet'. Visual Art Trader 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." www.kirstyoleary.com

$<p>In Amidst II</p> <p>In the centre of the drawing is a leaf, the rest is all shadows. For most of us only a fraction of our perception of our life is centred in the present, for the shadows of past experiences and expectations of the future envelope and effect our present.</p>$

In Amidst II

In the centre of the drawing is a leaf, the rest is all shadows. For most of us only a fraction of our perception of our life is centred in the present, for the shadows of past experiences and expectations of the future envelope and effect our present.

Posted 570 weeks ago

In Amidst II

60.5 x 50.5 cm

Newly finished artwork - after a very late night - ready for installation at ‘Natural Selection’ exhibition, The Espacio Gallery, 23rd May - 4th June.

Even drawing shadows is time consuming, to get a perfectly even tone means layering up the pencil very carefully and slowly. I’m pleased with it, it’s really rather beautiful and is even better in the flesh, so to speak, if it doesn’t sell I’ll make room on one of my walls.

Posted 571 weeks ago

Tethered

Photo, acrylic paint

The bed and the girl are a photo, the plants are painted on top

Posted 572 weeks ago

Giants

Posted 572 weeks ago

I was on a bookshelf once

Posted 572 weeks ago

Posted 572 weeks ago

Drawing On Gesso

People often look at my work not sure what media it is, is it some kind of photo or a print? They comment that they have never seen anything like it before.

My artworks are all hand drawn with a pencil, however I do not work on paper; this is because the textured surface of paper always becomes an integral part of a drawing, however my work is purely about the image, I do not want the substrate to interfere with it, it exists free from it’s substrate. Firstly I take an mdf board (mdf because it is extremely stable and smooth) it is then sprayed with gesso and lightly sanded down to give a very smooth surface onto which I draw directly. I use a very hard 4h pencil, because the surface is hard anything softer creates too much loose graphite. The images are built up with very small marks, I do not ‘shade’ but embed each stroke within the gesso. Gesso is an unforgiving medium to work on, unless the mark is very light you cannot rub it out, so I have to work carefully and meticulously.

Finally I have the boards sprayed with a protective acrylic lacquer which effectively makes the work wipe clean.

The art critic David Lee said of my work “It’s not often you find work that wants to draw you in”. I think part of this is because of the purity of the image achieved through my chosen media.

Posted 573 weeks ago

I’ve just been announced as a Juried Winner in the drawing category of the Artslant Showcase.

Posted 573 weeks ago

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(via ArtSlant - Kirsty O'Leary-Leeson)

Posted 573 weeks ago

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