JAMES LEONARD

×

1 of 4

Expand

"Red Tiger Overhead"

James Leonard, "Red Tiger Overhead," acrylic on canvas, 60" x60".

×

2 of 4

Expand

"Bluebird"

James Leonard, "Bluebird," acrylic on canvas, 36" x36".

×

3 of 4

Expand

"Maui Yellow"

James Leonard, "Maui Yellow," acrylic on canvas, 54" x 54".

×

4 of 4

Expand

"Red Tiger Overhead"

James Leonard, "Red Tiger Overhead," acrylic on canvas, 60" x60".

Prev

Next

JAMES LEONARD

Born: 1949, Nashville, TN

Studied: BA, Fresno State University, 1976

Lives/Works: Alamo, CA

Price Range: $3,000-$9,000

Located in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown, art dealer Deanna Geisheimer opened Art Works Gallery in 1986. Geisheimer has noticed that while the typical West Coast collector, nurtured on the area’s lush natural beauty, has been dedicated to landscapes for many years, they are gradually moving towards an appreciation for abstract expressionistic art as a result of ongoing exposure and education.

“ James Leonard is one of our most collectable artists,” says Geisheimer, “because of his specialized technique of layering paints and using utensils he fashions himself instead of the standard paint brushes. He has been compared favourably to Gerhard Richter, one of the founding artists of German Abstract Expressionism.”

Leonard has an impressive international resume with works in many public and corporate collections including NASA’s Stennis Space Centre and Motorola.

Speaking about collectability, Ms. Geisheimer, was involved years ago in the selection of a large Vern Simpson painting for an insurance company. With dark mahogany furniture, green carpets and chairs, she chose an artwork with an explosion of colour that looked amazing. A decade later the company moved and changed their interior design to blond wood furniture and black granite floors. The president was surprised by the number of people who commented on the “new” painting in the boardroom and how wonderful it looked. It was the same Simpson painting but it had been reframed and placed into a new environment. Geisheimer advocates “buy what you like, buy wisely and the art will stand the test of time.”