Leslie Fitzsimmons is known for her distinctive approach to capturing nature's essence as she explores her connection to place through her art practice. Her creative process revolves around translating her visual experience when immersed in a landscape into vibrant and intricate compositions. Her paintings are characterized by sinuous and organic shapes that interplay with color and form. These elements are carefully balanced within her works, showing her aptitude to navigate between spontaneous impulses and deliberate reactions.
Leslie’s visual language is ever-evolving. Her work often encompasses a fusion of abstract expressionism with geometric patterns, resulting in a unique visual vocabulary. While her primary focus is on abstract paintings, Leslie's artistic journey has led her to explore new mediums, including sculpture, wall reliefs and textiles. This expansion into three-dimensional forms and tactile pieces allows her to delve deeper into the layers and textures found in landscapes.
Leslie Fitzsimmons earned a Bachelor of Visual Art Education from the School of Arts at the University of Kansas. Her home is nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains Front Range, and she works from her studio in Golden, Colorado. Furthermore, she has enriched her artistic journey through several years of artist residency at Onwards Studio and Gallery in Newcastle, Australia.
Artist CV
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Further On, Straitjacket, Broadmeadow, Australia
2023 Eutierria, Art Gym Gallery, Denver, CO
2022 Recur, Straitjacket, Broadmeadow, Australia
2021 Escape, SMAC Studio, Tighes Hill, Australia
2020 Place, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Hamilton, Australia
2019 A Sense of Land, Left Hand Space, Islington, Australia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Oscillations, SeeSaw Art Gallery, Englewood, CO
2024 Schooled, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, CO
2024 Counteractions, The Creator Incubator, Hamilton, Australia
2023 Art in the Round, BRDG Project, Denver, CO
2023 Out For Summer, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Hamilton, Australia
2023 Fall Studio Group Show, Prism Workspaces, Denver, CO
2023 Summer Studio Group Show, Prism Workspaces, Denver, CO
2023 Emanate, Art District on Santa Fe, Denver, CO
2022 Summer Salon, Straitjacket, Broadmeadow, Australia
2022 5 Years & Onwards, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Hamilton, Australia
2022 Outsider Show, Pirate: Contemporary Art, Lakewood, CO
2022 LOCUS, Blackstone Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
2022 Incognito Art Show, 2 Lacey Street, Surry Hills, Australia
2022 COLLECT, The Lock-Up, Newcastle, Australia
2022 Arts for Health, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
2022 Hunter Emerging Art Prize Finalist, Newcastle Art Space, Islington, Australia
2021 Hunter Medical Research Insitute Foundation Art Exhibition, Newcastle, Australia
2021 Little Things Art Prize Finalist, Saint Cloche, Paddington, Australia
2021 COLLECT, The Lock-Up, Newcastle, Australia
2021 Group Shows Are Back Show, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Hamilton, Australia
2020 Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize Finalist, Newcastle Art Space, Islington, Australia
2020 COLLECT, The Lock-Up, Newcastle, Australia
2020 Mistress, Blackstone Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
2020 Each For Equal, Gallery 139, Islington, Australia
POP-UP EXIBITIONS and EVENTS
2024 Creative Campus Spring Open Studios, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
2023 Art Walk, May & June First Friday, Southern Kindness Gallery x Dairy Block, Denver, CO
2023 Artist Residency Open Studio, Jan First Friday, Art District on Santa Fe, Denver, CO
2022 Artist Residency Open Studio, Dec First Friday, Art District on Santa Fe, Denver, CO
2022 At Home On The Front Range, Zuni Street Brewery, Denver, CO
2021 The Other Art Fair, Sydney, Australia
2021 Autumn Memories, Suspension, Islington, Australia
2020 Untitled, Wil and Sons, Newcastle, Australia
2020 XMAS Mini Mart, December art market, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Newcastle, Australia
2020 Mini Mart, September art market, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Newcastle, Australia
2019 Chris Mingle, December art market, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Newcastle, Australia
2019 Untitled, The Umbrian, Newcastle, Australia
TEACHING and FACILITATION
2024 Art Educator, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO
2024 Visual Art Instructor and Teaching Artist, Arvada Center, Arvada, CO
2024 Art Educator, Center for the Arts Evergreen, Evergreen, CO
2022 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2021 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2020 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2019 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2018 Education and Public Programs Officer, Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, Lake Macquarie, Australia
2018 Program Facilitator, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2017 Program Facilitator, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2016 Program Facilitator, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2016 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2015 Art Tutor, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland, Australia
2015 Family and Community Programs, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2014 Family and Community Programs, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
2013 Visual Art Facilitator, Hands On Art, Brisbane, Australia
CURATIORIAL
2022 LOCUS, Blackstone Gallery, Newcastle, Australia
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2022-2023 Art District on Santa Fe Emerging Artists Residency, Denver, CO, USA
EDUCATION
2012 Bachelor of Art Education in VIsual Art Education, School of Arts, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
2011 University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
AFFILIATIONS and MEMBERSHIPS
2024 Resident Artist, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
2023 - 2024 Board of Directors, Art District on Santa Fe, Denver, CO
2023 - 2024 Member, Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO
2023 - 2024 Artist Member, MCA Denver, Denver, CO
2023 Resident Artist, Prism Workspaces, Denver, CO
2021 - 2022 Resident Artist, Onwards Gallery and Studios, Hamilton, Australia
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2024 “Oscillations”, DARIA: Denver Art Review, Inquiry, and Analysis, 2024
2024 “Oscillations”, DARIA: Denver Art Review, Inquiry, and Analysis, Danielle Cunningham, 2024, issue Summer 2024, pages 24-29
2023 “Leslie Fitzsimmons: Eutierria Opening Reception”, Art Gym Denver, 2023
2023 “Meet Leslie Fitzsimmons”, Canvas Rebel, 2023
2022 “LOCUS Exhibition At Blackstone Gallery”, HUNTERhunter, 2022
2021 “Leslie Fitzsimmons - Escape Exhibition”, HUNTERhunter, 2021
2020 “Leslie Fitzsimmons - Place Exhibition”, Onwards Gallery and Studios, 2020
2020 Wells, Ahn, “Leslie Fitzsimmons at Onwards”, The Weekender, 2020
2020 “Q+A: Leslie Fitzsimmons”, Art/Edit, 2020
2020 “Q&A: Leslie Fitzsimmons”, Art/Edit and Interior Design, Siobhan Spratt, 2020, issue no. 25, page 118
2019 Morris, Alex, “Homes of the Hunter”, The Weekender, 2019