Leigh Brooklyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leigh Brooklyn
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| Born | |
| Education | Cleveland Institute of Art |
| Occupation | Figurative artist |
| Years active | 2004–present |
Leigh Brooklyn is an American artist known for her unique paintings. She creates art that tells stories about people and their lives. Her work often focuses on showing the strength and experiences of different communities.
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Early Life and Learning
Leigh Brooklyn was born and grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. Her birth name was Wendy Leigh Knapp. Today, she still lives and works in her hometown of Cleveland.
Starting Her Art Journey
Leigh began her art studies in 2005. She learned from a local portrait artist in Cleveland. In 2006, her artwork was even featured in a national magazine called the VFW Women's Auxiliary Magazine.
College Education
In 2006, Leigh started college at the Columbus College of Art and Design. Later, she moved to the Cleveland Institute of Art. She was inspired by forensic artists who help solve mysteries using art. In 2011, she earned a degree in Biomedical Illustration. This field combines art with science to create detailed drawings for medical purposes.
Leigh Brooklyn's Art Career
After college, Leigh explored biomedical illustration. She worked with hospitals, museums, and research places like the Cleveland Clinic. However, she soon realized her true passion was oil painting. She decided to focus on creating art that shows people and their stories.
Art for Change
Leigh Brooklyn uses her art to highlight important issues. She creates portraits of people from communities that are sometimes overlooked. This includes transgender individuals and people experiencing homelessness. Her goal is to bring attention to their challenges and celebrate their strength.
She also explores topics like gender, race, and religion in her art. Her aim is to encourage everyone to show respect and appreciation for all communities.
Special Art Projects
In June 2018, Leigh Brooklyn was chosen for a special art project. It was part of the Inter|Urban Art Project for the Cleveland RTA, which is Cleveland's public transportation system.
After some personal challenges, Leigh's art began to focus on women's empowerment. She learned new skills like sculpting and welding. This allowed her to add 3D parts to her paintings. She started creating art that showed an "army of women" fighting for women's rights and strength.
In 2020, Leigh Brooklyn created a series of 10 drawings. She called this collection Love Bomb.
