Michael “Seamus” Leonard Seamus Leo Fine Artist 8 Gardiner Park #3 Rochester, NY 14607 585-200-8125 [email protected] http://www.dirtytdevilart.daportfolio.com" Education 2002-2004: MFA Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) applicable in May 2004 2001-02: Memphis College of Art and Design (graduate study) 1998-2000: BFA Northern Arizona University (NAU) 1999: Helsinki School of Art and Design UIAH Scholarships, Grants & Awards 2006: Black-lock Sanctuary Grant Minneapolis, MN 2004: Society of Illustrators Los Angeles West Issue # 42 Publish Award 2002-04: MCAD Trustees Scholarship 2003: MCAD Graduate Gallery Assistantship 2003: MCAD Printmaking Graduate Assistantship 2002-04: MCAD Opportunity Grant 2001: Memphis College of Art and Design Graduate Scholarship 2000: A.S.N.A.U. Grant for Campus Beautification Mosaic 2000: NAU Honorarium 1999-2000: NAU Exchange Program: Helsinki, Finland 1999: NAU Museum Faculty of Fine Art Elliot Visual Arts Scholarship/ Art Education Scholarship Award 1999: NAU Museum Faculty of Fine Arts Departmental Scholarship Teaching & Employment Experience 2003: Preparations for Basic Painting Techniques Robinsdale Community Center, MN 2003: Preparations for Abstract Painting Techniques Robinsdale Community Center 2003: MCAD Scholastic Summer Experience Student Instructor and Teacher’s Asst. 2003: Highland Park High School Saint Paul, MN Visiting Instructor Drawing and Painting 2003: MCAD Gallery Graduate Assistantship/Technician 2002: Visiting Artist Sheridan Global Communication School Minneapolis, MN 2002: MCAD Printmaking Graduate Assistantship/Technician 2002: MCAD Facilities Management 2002: Memphis College of Art Teaching Assistantship 2-D Design 2002: Memphis College of Art Advisor to Portfolio Enhancement Techniques 2002: Memphis College of Art A.P. Basic Still Life and Landscape Techniques 2001: Memphis College of Art A.P. Drawing Techniques 2001: Memphis College of Art Continuing Education Figure Painting / Painting II 2001: Memphis College of Art English Writing Lab Tutor 2001: Preparations for Coconino Community College Art Appreciation/ Art History Ren/mod. 1998-2001: Hozhoni Foundation Art Therapy Instructor Flagstaff, AZ 2000: NAU Teaching Assistant Drawing and Painting Foundations and Fundamentals 1999: NAU Teaching Assistant Drawing and Painting Fundamentals 1999: NAU Teaching Assistant Painting Foundations 1999: NAU & Helsinki School of Art & Design Research Art History Project: Lecture Edward Munch Hel-FIN/ Flagstaff, AZ 1998-99: Hozhoni Foundation: Lecture and Demonstration on Abstract Painting and Sculpture 1998: Silar Homes Demonstration on Printmaking 1998: Silar Homes Demonstration on Drawing Solo Exhibitions Aug. 2007: Annex Gallery- Gone Minimal New Paintings Seamus Leo Lancaster, PA Oct 2006: GALLERY 360 MINNEAPOLIS, MN SEAMUS LEO DRAWINGS Aug. 2006: ALL THINGS ELECTORAL Susan Hensal Gallery MINNEAPOLIS, MN june 2005: ALL THINGS ELECTRAL Susan Hensal Gallery MINNEAPOLIS, MN April 2004: Cornerstones MCAD Thesis Exhibition, Minneapolis, MN March 2001: Origins Exhibitions: The Art One Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ May 2000: Urban Culture Exhibition: Independent Ink Inc. Gallery, Flagstaff, AZ April 2000: Progressions: Beasley Fine Art Gallery, Flagstaff, AZ Group Exhibitions jun 2014: 6x6 Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY Jun: 2013: 6x6 Rochester Contemporary Art center, Rochester, NY May 2004: MCAD Group Show Soo-Vac Gallery, Minneapolis, MN Apr. 2004: MCAD Thesis Exhibition, Minneapolis, MN Jan. 2004: Society of Illustrators Los Angeles #42 Annual & Online Web Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Dec. 2003: EX Nihilo Gallery “Exhibitionism”, Saint Paul, MN Jun 2003: Soo-Vac Gallery “Untitled”, Minneapolis, MN Dec. 2003: MCAD art sale opening Minneapolis, MN Sep. 2002: Itasca Gallery, Minneapolis, MN Dec. 2001: Mind Droppings: “A Digital Art Exhibition” MCA Gallery, Memphis, TN Nov 2001: “Pairs, A collaboration Artwork Exhibition” MCA Gallery, Memphis, TN Sept. 2001: “September 11th 2001 Memphis, TN” MCA Gallery, Memphis, TN Jan. 2000: International Artist exhibition “Millennium Artworks” Helsinki Cultural Center, Helsinki, Finland Traveling Exhibitions Summer 2002: “Carry on Drawing” Curator Avantika Bowa: US, India, UK and Canada Spring 1999: Citizens Against Substance Abuse “The Challenge Program”, Mother Heroin Committees & Public Art Works 2003-2004: Radio MCAD Member and Talk DJ 2003-2004: MCAD Comic Heads 2003-2004: Student Advisory Council Feb. 2003: Minneapolis Council for Public Art Intern Session May 2002: Alonzo Davis Heritage Park Flower Planting Memorial Birmingham, AL Community Service 2001: Silent Art Auction for the victims' families of Sep. 11th, 2001 Art Village Gallery, Memphis, TN 2001: AIDS Benefit “ Friends for Life” Provided by artist Alonzo Davis and Seamus Leonard (artist/chef), Memphis, TN 2001: Curator for Hozhoni Artists “Spectrum of Colors” NAU Audrey Gallery 2000: ERP Work Therapist Hozhoni Foundation 1999-2000: Volunteer at the Hozhoni Foundation 1999-2000: Art Therapy Consultant and Group Home Supervisor Hozhoni Foundation Personal Activities 1998-2004: National Aikido Association 1998-2004: Student of Lama Rinpoche Drolma 1985-1995: San Clemente Surfing Competitions Publications Sept. 2001: Fox News Channel 13 Report on Local Memphis Artists creating artwork regarding September 11th, 2001 April 2000: NAU Visiting Artist Lecture Taped and Cataloged NAU Library April 2000: NAU “Lumberjack”: Art show in Beasley Art Gallery, Flagstaff, AZ Referrals Barbara Schultz: Mentor & Adjunct Professor of Design Minneapolis College of Art and Design 2501 Stevens Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612)-874-3619 (612) 203-9708 [email protected] Kinji Awagawa: Professor of Fine Art/ Thesis Committee Member Minneapolis College of Art and Design 2501 Stevens Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 874-3619 [email protected] Amanda Degener: Professor of Fine Arts Paper-Making Instructor Minneapolis College of Art and Design 2501 Stevens Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55417 [email protected] Seamus Leonard Teaching Philosophy

It is my intention to provide a creative multidisciplinary educational setting to which students may investigate and discover their creative potential through academic exercises, art techniques, diverse research and intellectual questioning. With guidance, the exploration of ideas, concepts, and materials can encourage the creative learning experience. This experience can be heightened through technical and conceptual approaches of image making by assimilating disciplines of fine art, design, science, humanities and technology.

I can incorporate versatile methods of instruction depending on the requirements of each class, the abilities and goals of the individual, and the amount of information that can be provided in a semester course. Foundation students are provided with art techniques that develop hand-eye coordination as well as the ability to see objects by evaluating their line, shape, color, form and texture. They can begin to learn the unique language associated with the discussion of art to prepare for future critiques. Intermediate students will build upon these foundations and will be introduced to more advanced methods of seeing, color theory, discussion and the exploration of diverse materials. As the individual progresses, dialogue and theoretical ideas are gradually increased to build strong communication skills, observation tactics, and the development of coordinating research to an artistic concept. Advanced students will adhere to a cohesive conceptual plan, prepare for exhibitions, understand the business of art and continue their development of craftsmanship. Through a series of critiques the student will have attained the structure to discuss, understand and develop their work.

Research and investigation are key elements to exploration, experience and growth. I confidently promote the investigation of knowledge, the engagement of dialogues and building collaborative relationships between peers. Communication and collaboration between faculty and students and their surrounding community can enhance a higher achievement of education that builds a successful architecture of cutting edge systems, original cultural designs, and innovative contemporary art. Plato wrote that the university is a place where thinkers can come together to express and discuss ideas. I follow the creed of these words in my practice as an educator and an artist. Seamus Leonard Artist Statement I am interested in creating images, text, and other forms as an interpretation of “Cosmic Stuff”(CS). In this created CS universe, there exists the consistency of trickster characters, tools, equipment, landscape, geometric architecture and iconography that have both personal and cultural subjective definitions. For example, in this created world of the CS there are characters of the same being or same manifestation, (Herman the Hermaphrodite, The Dunce Wizard, Bill The Hobo Magi). Each character is in and of themselves the same, but exists on different parallel universes and are distinguished and separated by their actions, hats or equipment. Another example is a tool known by its shape as a hammer, but is labeled a “Joshua.” By changing the label or name, the instrument becomes more than its normal meaning of hammer. The construction of the CS universe is based on a continuum of surfaces that are to be regarded as sketch book pages, and are to be considered a type of role playing game of ongoing mythological systems, puns and poetic visual riddles. Further, as the work progresses, it formulates the beginnings of a type of American Folklore from personal perspectives, contemporary cultural histories, memories and relationships. I am the user of a personal resource book called “The New American Tora of Lists” Vol. One. Also in use are other collections of CS, (i.e. meditations on metaphysics, science fiction, histories of magic and experimental sciences and contemporary subcultures) as sources of inspiration. The mutations of written languages, landscape and character development of the work reflects the changes of our human relationship with universal natural law and our human thought. I thoroughly investigate our human tampering with our sense of authorship, inventions, and the psychology of communication within and without ourselves. The work as a whole body is a broken, dysfunctional, non-linear narrative that has supposed notions of personal necessity and social failure in its foundation and construction. I do not conceive of any permanent outcome of climax or formal regulation to the making of this project as of yet, rather I utilize a poetic (progressive rock pulse) approach to the composition, subject matter, and content. A poetic type of contemporary folklore that discusses the loss of American freedoms that seems to step outside the grasp of the American collective. Rather, becoming dependant on the personal audience to find an inner subjectivity of meaning within their own intuition and imagination. My CS world is still rendering. Artist Statement Defined Intuition & Imagination For some time now, American culture has forgotten how to utilize their intuition and imagination in playing visually with artwork. It is unfortunate to watch, in galleries and museums, the fast paced views of the onlooker of art and premature ideas of knowing while hanging on the specifics of the artist rather than drifting with the art. The viewer forgets their fantasies, dreams and realities. It is my hope that the audience does not intend on crucifying the messenger, rather play with the messages. Poetics Parables Folklore & Mythology The stories that we know culturally and personally help us to communicate our possible explanations of truth being and cosmology. Poems, parables, folklore and mythologies educate, describe, warn and form mysteries for the group and individual. America is built on a mythology of freedoms, power, invention, technology, currency, thievery and promises of the plundering natural resources. The trickster is a primer to expose the attitudes of its society and its culture through the blunderings of its mistakes. Through the trickster’s actions certain poetry of a profound activity occurs. If the society is sane the trickster is insane, if the society is insane, the trickster is sane. From this activity, the energy of laughter and love occurs.

The Sketchbook and Sketch Manuscripts The Sketchbook is a labyrinth where an artist sometimes begins to formulate ideas. I am striving consistently to treat my work as stories and sketchbooks. I have been searching for methods I use in my sketchbook, to translate as methods in my sketch manuscripts. The sketchbook and sketch manuscript are my declarations of poetry and narratives.

Materials I utilize materials that are minimally toxic to the environment and myself. I utilize pencils, charcoal, pen, brush, ink, watercolor and acrylic paint etc. The paper is either hand made, or acquired and recycled materials.

Page PAGE 1 of NUMPAGES 6 Seamus Leonard Artist Statement

Seamus Leonard is in attendance at the 2004 CAA Conference in Seattle, WA Page PAGE 2 of NUMPAGES 6 Contact number: (612) 237-0419