Featured artist at Yuma Art Symposium: Chris Leonard
Editor’s note:
This is one in a series of stories profiling 10 artists whose work will appear in the 39th annual Yuma Art Symposium, scheduled to Feb. 22-24. hris Leonard is a ceramics instructor at South Texas College. He joined the college faculty in 2009, having earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from the University of Northern Iowa and a master of fine arts from the University of Texas Pan American.
Leonard’s work blends his Midwestern upbringing with media mixed in several directions. His previous work in figurative painting shows up in his expressive figurative ornamentation.
As an artist, Leonard’s interests include the events and problems of the current era and how to represent his feelings about them in his work. For him, life seems to be a series of questions that require some sort of statement beyond a verbal statement.
His figures are playful and accessible while remaining ambiguous enough allowing for multiple interpretations of his work. While he does work in clay,
Che pushes the material out beyond traditional forms to produce figurative mosaics as well as relief and threedimensional sculpture. This year’s symposium brings together nationally and internationally know artists working in metals, clay, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture and photography. Some events in the Yuma Art Symposium are free and open to the public. Open events on Feb. 22 are a PreSymposium featuring visiting artists, beginning at 9:25 a.m. in the Art Building at Arizona Western College’s Yuma campus, an art pin exchange from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lutes Casino, 221 S. Main St., and opening introductions for the symposium from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Historic Yuma Theatre, 254 S. Main St.
Open events on Feb. 23 include a student art show and art pin auction from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yuma Art Center galleries, 254 S. Main St.
Attendance at other symposium events are by registration only. Registrations fees are $175 or $90 for students.
For more information visit www. yumasymposium.org, or contact Neely Tompkins, 928-782-1934 or neelyandgeorge@gmail.com.