Diane Leon

Diane Leon works in an abstract style in acrylic. Color is her visual language. She prefers acrylic paint and mixed media (collage) and uses a palette knife and brush to express what she feels in a visual way. A sense of place and how she connects to her environment began for her as a young girl growing up in New York City in the 1950s. In 1970 Spain became a second home base and that had a profound affect upon her art. Nature, spirituality memories, layering of textures and color are at the core of her painting.

Diane begins a painting with no preconceived idea. The work goes through many revisions and is only finished when it “feels” right to her. She considers it an emotional rather than intellectual process that determines if it is complete or successful work. Abstract painting gives her freedom to express how she experiences her life journey. All her memories are expressed as color, texture and form.

She began formal art studies at The Art Students League, NYC from 1974-79. She also studied at the Pratt Graphics Center, The Printmaking Workshop and The National Academy of Design in NYC. She has a B.A. from New York University, School of Professional Studies in art history and an M.A. from NYU, Graduate School of Arts and Science, John W. Draper Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Humanities and Social Thought. Since 1995 Diane has been teaching studio art as an adjunct associate professor of arts at NYU, School of Professional Studies, in the Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies.

Her work has been exhibited in the U.S. and internationally. Diane has participated in the U.S. Art in Embassies Program and exhibited at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru.

www.saatchiart.com/dianeleon for more artwork and current exhibitions/events.