Biography
Leah graduated from Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design (now DLIADT) in 1996 with a diploma in Fine Art. Originally from Dublin, she currently lives and works in Connemara, Co. Galway.
Her work forms part of various collections in Ireland including Garda HQ, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, An Bord Pleanála, Microsoft Irish Art Collection, Charleville Hotel Rathmines and The Stephens Hall Hotel Leeson Street. Leah was also commissioned by the OPW to develop ten specific pieces which currently hang in the National Concert Hall and the Department of the Taoiseach.
Leah’s paintings have always been connected with the surrounding landscape. She paints from memory, but is inspired by continuous journeys through the Connemara countryside where she lives. Reacting to visual and atmospheric elements around her, the resulting work is meditative for both artist and observer. This brings a quiet beauty to her paintings.
Working with oils on canvas, board or paper, she uses paint in a layering process and occasionally makes use of collage or draws in lines with pastel, adding another dimension to the piece. She works on a series of paintings at a time; each one feeds the next and brings a certain harmony to the body of work.
Although the subject matter can be recognised as landscape, it has an abstract quality to it. The basic elements of the landscape are broken down into more simplified forms. Aerial views are mixed with head on perspectives, natural occurrences such as land, sea, lakes, rivers, and mountains are dotted with man-made additions to the landscape such as buildings, roads, telegraph poles etc.
The paintings small scale involves close-up viewing to appreciate the underlying layers of paint, whilst viewing from a distance – along with subtle hints from the titles – give a sense of the initial compositional inspiration.
