WENDI LEIGH ART
BIO
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There is a recognised need to consider and create new narratives about how humans and the environment relate to one another. In a primordial attempt on humanity’s part to understand and live in harmony with the beauty and wonder of creation, Wendi Leigh expresses this in objective imagery. The inspiration that man can draw from nature is endless, and this body of work shows just some of the interactions that we have with the naturalistic side of our instincts. From one perspective, Wendi’s act of sharing her living space with intelligent birds like Magpies emanated from her general love since childhood, while from another, it may be theorized that her nurturing of animal companions, as if they were her pets, bolstered her love for fauna –and nature in general- by driving a very intimate connotation into all lifeforms she was exposed to. Her work also embodies the personal need to bring hope and joy to the viewer in an otherwise dysfunctional world. It's an exploration of perception, identity, and memory.
Coming from a fashion and design background, her hard-edged contemporary take on realistic imagery stems from her passion for patternmaking, clothing design and joining shapes together. She currently exhibits in NSW, VIC, and QLD as well as various Affordable Art Shows.
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All her work is framed in custom made Tassy oak float frames and limed or varnished to retain its natural visual patterning.
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Wendi Leigh holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the University of Wollongong and has entered and won art/photographic competitions over many years. Her art diversifies as it crosses reality and impressionism and uses shapes and colours to describe movement, light, shade and illusion. She finds this creative tool a means for interpreting contemporary experiences that will become part of life's history.​
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QUALIFICATIONS
TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment National Training Masters Kiama
Bachelor of Fine Arts with Distinction Wollongong University
Advanced Diploma of Fine Arts Forster TAFE
Diploma of Fine Arts Kempsey TAFE
Diploma of Colour and Design - Fashion- Shilitto College Sydney
EXHIBITIONS
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1989 Baulkham Hills Art Show first watercolour entry/exhibition
1995 Duo exhibition Inverell Regional gallery with Rupert Richardson
1996 "4 Directions" exhibition Country Design Gallery Wauchope 4 artists Ali McCudden, Doug Moseley and Ian Robinson with me
2000 Solo Exhibition "Artist on Site" Seagulls Design Gallery Port Macquarie
2002 Solo exhibition "Insight" printworks and watercolours Seagulls Design Gallery
2003 Solo exhibition "Insight" Hughendon Hotel Wollahra
2003 B.D.A.S.Bowral Alvaro Prize- exhibitor (Oils)
2003 B.D.A.S Bowral Tyree-Tycan Prize -exhibitor (Gouache)
2003 "Go with the Flow" Blue Poles gallery Byabarra exhibition of 12 women sculptors
2003 "Outside the Square" Sheraton Hotel Port Macquarie 13 exhibiting artists
2004 "From under the Bed" 5 artists exhibition Old Courthouse Port Macquarie
2005 "Godfest" exhibition Commonwealth Bank Taree sponsored by Stacks the Law firm
2005 "Vergence" shared 4 artists exhibition John Paynter Gallery Newcastle
2005 "Aperitif" new start exhibition for artists Sydney Town Art Gallery Everleigh
2005 "Women's Sculpture" Blue Poles Gallery Byabarra
2005 "Avant Card" Studio theatre Sydney Opera House foyer sculpture exhibition - paper sculpture
2005 " Av an Art" Graduates Exhibition Forster TAFE
2005 Taree Tourist Information Centre Exhibition for graduating students (Oils, watercolours, Ink drawings)
2005 "Art in the Foyer" solo mini exhibition ABC Mid North Coast offices
2006 Project Gallery Wollongong Members Works (Oils)
2007 "The Rabbit Hole" UOW Graduates exhibition
2007/2008 Meroogal Prize Travelling exhibitor (Textile work)
2008 Solo exhibition "Fragments of the Carnival" Old Court House Wollongong
2009 Solo Exhibition "I.D. Landscape" The Shoalhaven Arts Centre textiles and Watercolours
2019 "Postcodes from the Edge" Exhibitor/Winner Wollongong Regional Art Gallery
2020 Selection of works for sale Flying Pig Gallery BERRY
2020 Selection of works for sale Whitewall Art Projects Gallery Berrima
2020 Solo exhibition "Urban Detour" Fern Street Gallery Gerringong
2021 Duo exhibition "Layers" Art Bar Kiama with Wendy Dobson
2021 Pie Time Award Finalist Whitewall Art Projects Berrima
2021 "Into the Light" award Finalist exhibition Whitewall Project Gallery Berrima=
2021 Solo "Natural Encounters" Exhibition Michelle Perry Fine Arts Sydney NSW
2022 Solo Wall exhibition Montville Art Gallery QLD February
2022 Selection of works Whitewall Art Projects Gallery Berrima NSW
2022 Selection of works The Towoomba Gallery QLD
2022 Solo exhibition "Why Flowers Matter" Purple Noon Gallery NSW
2022 Joint Exhibition "Birds and Blooms" Sutton Village Gallery Sutton NSW
2022 Joint Exhibition "Foot Square" Aspire Gallery Paddington QLD
2022 Joint Exhibition December/January Milk Factory Bowral NSW
2023 Group Exhibition 55 Parrots BULLI NSW my works titled - "Light 'n Shade" March
2023 "Rustle" joint exhibition Aspire Gallery Paddington Brisbane May
2023 54th Brisbane Grammar School Art Exhibition invited artist -5 works May
2023 The Moree Gallery joint exhibition May/June/September
2023 Solo exhibition at Milk Factory Gallery Bowral Sept-Oct
2024 Invited exhibitor for Mansfield Easter Exhibition VIC March
2024 Invited exhibitor for Moree Gallery "Birds of a Feather" April
2024 Solo Exhibition "Innovative Encounters" Purple Noon Gallery April
2024 Invited exhibitor to the Brisbane Grammar School Art Fair May
2024 Invited exhibitor to the Brisbane Affordable Art Fair May
2024 Invited exhibitor to the Sydney Affordable Art Fair June
2024 "Unveiled" winners exhibition July Aspire Gallery July
2024 Invited exhibitor to the Melbourne Affordable Art Fair August
2024 "Delicatessen" Project gallery 90 Oxford Street Paddington October group exhibition
2024 Still Life Group Exhibition Purple Noon Gallery October/November
2025 "Magpie Magic" Exhibition Seaview Gallery June VICTORIA
2025. "Curiosity Unleashed" Winning Solo Exhibition August/Sept. Aspire Gallery Paddington Brisbane QLD
AWARDS
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1993 Winner Watercolour Prize Wauchope Show Society
1994 Second Prize watercolour Comboyne A & H Association Exhibition
1995 Winner and Second prize Watercolour Comboyne A & H Association Exhibition
1995 Highly commended sepia Ink Taree Show Exhibition
1995 Commended Acrylic work Taree show exhibition
2000 Winner "Art on a Grand Canvas" Greg Norman's launch exhibition new Golf Club Acquisitive
2001 Winner "City of the Arts" Logo Hastings Council Port Macquarie Acquisitive
2001 Winner "City of the Arts" Logo Peoples Choice Hastings Council Port Macquarie
2001 Winner Watercolour Alzheimer's Drug Painting for Pfizer Drug Company. Sydney Acquisitive
2002 Most Outstanding student Award for Graphic Design Certificate IV
2003 Highly Commended Hastings "Aqua Sculpture" Awards Port Macquarie
2004 Winner Hastings Council CBD Street Banner Competition
2004 Second Prize Taree "Timber Heritage" Photographic Competition
2008 Meroogal Prize Finalist - manipulated textile work
2010 Nowra King Street Gallery exhibition of felted and shibori textile wraps in joint exhibition
2019 Second Prize 'Postcodes from the Edge' Wollongong Regional Art Gallery
2020 Finalist "Blue Theme" Blackstone Gallery Newcastle November
2020 Finalist "Blue Theme" for Charity" Arthead Gallery Moss Vale
2021 Finalist "Small Works" Award Brunswick Gallery VICTORIA
2021 Second place in "Pie Time" Award Whitewall Art Projects Berrima
2021 Finalist "Into the Light" Award Whitewall Art Projects Berrima
2021 Finalist "Flow" Wollongong Art Gallery Works on Paper
2022 Finalist Still Life Project Art Gallery Wollongong with Self Socialisation
2022 Gallery Finalist "Petite Pieces" Aspire Gallery Paddington QLD
2022 Gallery Runner Up Winner "Petite Pieces" Aspire Gallery Paddington QLD with In Sync
2022 Finalist Bluethumb Art Award - abstract category with Cat in the Parlour
2022 Finalist Hunters Hill Art award with Banksia Spirit
2022 Finalist "Past" theme Blackstone Gallery Newcastle W.O.P. award Wendy Sharp Judge
2022 Finalist in "Foot Square" Award Aspire Gallery QLD
2023 Finalist and Special Mention "Petite Pieces" Aspire Gallery Paddington QLD with
2023 Finalist in "FLOW" Wollongong Art Gallery Works on Paper
2023 Winner of bi-monthly Competition "Unveiled" Aspire Gallery Brisbane
2024 Winner overall "Unveiled" Aspire Gallery Brisbane with Bush Picnic
2024 Finalist Weswal Gallery Tamworth Inty Award with Cherries, Berries and a Penny for your Thoughts
2024 Finalist Southern Ocean Art Award
2024 Finalist Basil Sellers Acquisitive Art Award 'Invasion' Sold to Mr Basil Sellers
2025 Winner of Basil Seller Acquisitive Art Award People's Choice with Invasion
2025 Finalist Remagine Art Prize Hornsby NSW
2025 Finalist "Petite Pieces" Aspire Gallery Paddington QLD with Flamingos Passing By
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ART EXPERIENCES
2025 Illustrated children's book "Bertie and the THM" written by David Berry
​2025 Tutor Bairnsdale VIC Art Society weekend workshop 'Backyard Birds' October
2024 ​Tutor Redcliff QLD Redcliff Art Society weekend workshop floral art/Landscapes in Reflection November
2024 Tutor Bairnsdale VIC Art Society weekend workshop Still Life October
2024 Illustrated children's book "A Mid Summer Knights Dream" written by David Berry
2024 Illustrated children's book "Willy" written by David Berry
2023 Tutor September 6 days at Grampian Brushes Halls Gap
2023 Illustrated children's book with digital imagery titled "The Threenager" written by David Berry
2019 Art Tutor two weeks at Wollongong Adult Education College
2018 "Ovation" Raw International Artists Runway for Designers Exhibition Albert Hall Yarralumla Canberra https://rawartists.org/canberra/ovation
2016 "Signature" Raw International Artists Runway for Designers Exhibition Wollongong UOW
2010 The Works Exhibition TIGS School annual art exhibition - Assistant Art Curator https://issuu.com/illawarragrammarschool/docs/issue_4_term_iii_2010
2010 Illustrated children's book 'Billy-Can Bob' by David Berry
2005 January holiday children's art workshops over 2 weeks Port Macquarie Art Supplies and Framing
2004 January holiday children's art workshops over 2 weeks Port Macquarie Art Supplies and Framing
2003/2005 "Confluence" Hastings Council Steering Committee Member for this Sculpture on the River exhibition and participant with 2 sculptures, 1 of which won Highly Commended
1996-2004 - Country Design Gallery and Seagulls Design Gallery art workshops monthly programs
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ART INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
2008 Bundanon internship 2 weeks
2004-06 Founder of Co-Art Inc, Port Macquarie, including ABC Radio foyer monthly exhibits, ongoing travelling members exhibitions and children’s holiday workshops
2003-05 Steering Committee member of Aquasculpture Port Macquarie - Sculpture by the River
1996-2004 Director/Owner Art galleries/studios Wauchope and Port Macquarie
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