Leesa Streifler facts for kids

Leesa Streifler (born 1957) is a Canadian artist who creates art in many different ways. She is known for her painting, drawing, and photography. Her artwork is famous and can be found in important collections, like the National Gallery of Canada.

A Life in Art

Leesa Streifler was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She loved art from a young age and went to college to study it. She earned a fine arts degree from the University of Manitoba in 1980. After that, she moved to New York City and got her Master of Fine Arts degree from Hunter College in 1983.

In 1986, she began a long career as a professor at the University of Regina. She taught painting and drawing to new generations of artists for over 30 years. After she retired from teaching in 2019, she was given the special title of professor emerita to honor her important contributions to the university.

Exploring Big Ideas Through Art

Streifler is a multi-disciplinary artist, which means she doesn't stick to just one type of art. She uses photography, painting, drawing, and even performance art to share her ideas.

What is Her Art About?

Much of Streifler's art is connected to feminism. Her work often explores big ideas about life and what it means to be human. She creates art about topics like family, aging, and how people see themselves and their bodies. Her art encourages people to think about their own experiences and feelings.

She also published a book called Kin. The book features her drawings alongside stories written by Jeanne Randolph.

Famous Artworks

Some of Leesa Streifler's art is part of the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Canada. This means the museum owns the art and will protect it for people to see for many years.

One of her pieces at the National Gallery is called Contemporary Mythology: Compassion (1989). It is a large photograph that she painted over. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography also has some of her work, including three series of colorful photographs from 2003.

Exhibitions Across Canada and the World

An exhibition is a special event where an artist's work is shown to the public in a gallery or museum. Streifler has had her art shown in many exhibitions all by herself, which are called solo exhibitions. She has also been part of group exhibitions, where her art is displayed alongside the work of other artists.

Her art has been seen in galleries and museums all across Canada, from Saskatchewan to Toronto and Montreal. She has also had her work shown in other countries, such as Bulgaria and Chile. In 2006, her art was part of an exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada called Persona: From the Collection.