Born in Edinburgh in 1984, Leo has lived most of his life in nearby Linlithgow. Since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2006 Leo has painted full time, helped initially by a PSYBT business start-up grant.
Leo's inspiration is the natural world. He takes every opportunity to explore the landscapes of Scotland and the rest of Britain, walking, cycling, sketching and taking photos, using material gathered to complete paintings in the studio. Leo has a keen interest in natural history and environment and is being supported by ScotRail in his ongoing project to explore Scotland's rail-accessible landscapes.
In summer 2010 Leo travels to Canada as recipient of a prestigious Royal Over-Seas League Arts Commonwealth Travel Scholarship. His six week sketching trip will include a Vancouver-Toronto train journey and time exploring the Ontario countryside, following in the footsteps of 1920's painters the Group of Seven. His resulting paintings will be exhibited at OXO Gallery in London in October 2010.
In Autumn 2009 Leo visited Orkney as winner of the Alexander Graham Munro Travel Award for 'best artwork by an artist under 30' at the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour Annual Exhibition. Also in 2009 Leo was shortlisted for the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize which aims to "encourage creative representational painting and promote the skill of draughtsmanship."
Leo's largest commission to date comprises four dramatic 4m-high depictions of land, sky and space on permanent display in the UK Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. In 2008 Woolmanhill Hospital in Aberdeen commissioned a two-piece painting of a stretch of North-East coastline. Leo's paintings are included in RSA, SSA and RSW selected exhibitions and are exhibited at galleries throughout Scotland and in London. See the C.V. page, and below, for further details.
Work In Summer Group Exhibitions:
18th June - 31st August, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, G2 4EL
4th - 29th August, Thompson's Gallery Marylebone, London, W1G 9UB
Royal Over-Seas League Arts Commonwealth Travel Scholarship - Canada Summer 2010
Throughout June and July 2010 Leo will travel by train, ferry and bus from Vancouver to Toronto, exploring landscape, wildlife and Canadian art, sketching as he goes. The works of the Group of Seven and Emily Carr were the original inspiration for the trip. An exhibition of resulting paintings will take place in London, UK, in October 2010.
If you wish to be informed of exhibition details and other news please send your email address to Leo.
Any comments or enquiries about exhibitions and commissions are very welcome.