Leona Sherwood

American | 1914–2004

Leona Sherwood painted and shared her love of art with others throughout her lifetime. She combined diverse media such as watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and collage to create “memoryscapes” evoking a sense of place. Leona gave us glimpses of intimate rooms and far flung places where she lived and traveled including New York, Florida, France, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Wales, Quebec, Nantucket, and the Southwest desert country. Her reminiscent impressions recapture the essence of the scenes with an aura of mystique that holds and grows on the viewer.

Unquestionably an artist of many facets, her work is strengthened and unified by a sure knowledge of traditional and innovative techniques, an imaginative flair for drawing and design, an original and invigorating use of color and materials, and a clear understanding of the contemporary idiom. In each piece her feeling for natural forms emerges as a perceptive interpretation of her environment and experience.

Awarded “Best of Show” for the National League of American Pen Women 1994 Biennial Art Show, her painting “The Spanish Bed” graced the cover of The Pen Woman magazine.

She was a member of Florida Artist Group, National League of American Pen Women, Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society, Florida Watercolor Society and New York Artists’ Fellowship.

She was listed in Who’s Who in American Art, American Artists of Renown and Worlds Who’s Who of Women. Selected for “30 Florida Women Artists,” Edison College.

Study

Watercolor: John Chetcuti, N.Y.C.

Critiques

Philip Hicken, Nantucket; Robert Gelinas, University of South Florida; North Carolina Mint Museum of Art; Berkowitz and Pachner, New College; Ringling School of Art, N.C.

Collectors

Over 500 in USA and abroad, including:

  • Hickory Museum of Art, N.C.
  • Wild Acres, N.C.
  • Collegiate School For Boys, NYC
  • Diamond Shamrock Co., Cleveland, Ohio
  • Barnett Banks
  • Longboat Key Art Center

Galleries

Hang-Up, Sarasota; Art Uptown, Sarasota; Selby Gallery of the Ringling School of Art and Design

Awards

Over 60 in all media; New York City, Martha’s Vineyard, Florida. Awarded “Best of Show” for the National League of American Pen Women 1994 Biennial Art Show — her painting “The Spanish Bed” graced the cover of The Pen Woman magazine.

National & State Juried Shows

  • National Arts Club, N.Y.C. (8 shows)
  • LaGrange, GA VIII
  • “3rd Women In Art,” Springfield, IL
  • Bacardi Gallery, Miami, FL
  • Goethe Hall, Sacramento, CA
  • S.W. Florida Art Council Shows
  • Edison College, FL
  • Rollins College, FL

Art Museums

Jacksonville, Daytona, South Florida, Miami Metropolitan, Tampa, Florida; and Fine Arts Taos, New Mexico.

Teaching

2,000+ students — Contemporary Painting and Drawing, all media.

  • Longboat Key Art Center, 1969–2004
  • Art League of Manatee, 1974–89

Solo Shows (notably)

  • Hickory, N.C. Museum of Art
  • Kenneth Taylor Galleries, Nantucket
  • Young & Rubicam, N.Y.C.
  • Hang-Up Gallery, Sarasota, FL
  • Gasparilla Inn, Boca Grande, FL
  • Lighthouse Gallery, Tequesta, FL
  • Glen Gallery, Sarasota, FL
  • Hilton Leech Gallery, Sarasota, FL
  • Hang-Up Gallery, Brevard, N.C.
  • Edison College, FL

Demonstrations, Workshops & Judging

  • La Napoule Art Foundation, France, 1986–87, 1989
  • Albufeira, Portugal, 1987
  • Corfu, Greece, 1989
  • Hickory Museum of Art, N.C.
  • Norton Museum, West Palm Beach
  • Lighthouse Gallery, Tequesta, FL
  • Hendersonville, N.C.
  • Blue Ridge Tech, N.C.
  • “Le Dejeuner - La Napoule,” The Best of Watercolor, selected by Betty Lou Schiemm and Tom Nicholas, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Rockport, MA, 1995
  • “La Belle Auberge - La Napoule,” Places in Watercolor, selected by Betty Lou Schlemm, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Rockport, MA, 1996
  • “Le Dejeuner - La Napoule,” Creative Inspirations: A Collection of Drawing and Painting Ideas for Artists, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, MA, 1997
  • “San Miquel Street,” Best of Watercolor: Painting Texture, selected by Betty Lou Schiemm, edited by Sara M. Doherty, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, MA, 1997
  • “Gurbio, France,” The Best of Watercolor, Volume 3, selected by Serge Hollerbach and Betty Lou Schiemm, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, MA, 1999
  • “San Miquel Street,” The Collected Best of Watercolor, selected by Betty Lou Schiemm, edited by Sara M. Doherty, Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, MA, 1997, 2002
Leona Sherwood
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