Catherine Leon is a contemporary British painter using pencil and oil paint to capture the beauty of the natural world in landscapes, still life and abstract works. Taking inspiration from her immediate environment, Leon paints the places and plants she sees depicting washes of sunset hues, glowing fern leaves and vivid flowers. Her work speaks of mystery and a longing to experience the world in union with divinity. Much like the folk art that inspires her work, there is reverence for the transcendent nature of beauty and using visual storytelling as a means to convey this.
Born 1993, Cornwall, UK
Lives and works in London and Cornwall
Education
2013 - 2015 BAHons, Fine Art Painting, Wimbledon College of Art UAL
2011 - 2012 Diploma Foundation, Plymouth College of Art UAL
Selected Exhibitions
PERSEIDS, Irving Contemporary, London 2022
Stand Tall Art Auction, Nkuku, Devon 2022
REVEILLE - The Violet Hour, London 2021
Katie Trick, Rosa Roberts, Beatrice Hasell-McCosh, Bobbye Fermie, Otis Blease
TENDER - The Violet Hour, Notting Hill, 2020
Kate Braine, Catherine Leon, Max Naylor, Lex Shute, Eleanor Watson
The Skylark - The Violet Hour, London, 2019
Online spring edit
What's The Use? - Freecursor, London, 2018
Shane Bradford, Max Gershon, Catherine Leon, Junodef
The Road Not Taken - The Violet Hour, The Hospital Club, London, 2017
Wonje Kang, Catherine Leon, Philip Rae Scott, Felicity Warbick
Soiree at the Fiery Friary - 88 Friary Road, London 2017
Hadass Auerbach, James Balmforth, Tomo Campbell, James Capper, Nathan Cash Davidson, Juliana Cerqueira Leite, Bobby Dowler, Gareth Cadwallader, Ludovica Giosica, Christopher Green, Angelique Heidler, Norman Hyams, Marie Jacotey, Evgenij Kozlov, Jean-Baptiste Lagadec, Catherine Leon, Kate Lyddon, Shaun McDowell, Rose McLaren, Ralph Hunter-Menzies, Bayly Shelton, Caterina Silva, Sofia Silva, Sofia Stevi, Tobias Teschner, Tim Zercie.
Glorious Abandon - Dynamite Projects, London, 2016
James Balmforth, Gareth Cadwallader, Tomo Campbell, Nathan Cash Davidson, Bobby Dowler, Jade Fadojutimi, Count Glendenberg, Christopher Green, Kate Groobey, Marie Jacotey, Catherine Leon, Shaun McDowell, Sofia Silva, Louise Thomas, Lara Viana, Hugo Wilson. Brilliant Creatures - The Violet Hour, The Strand Gallery, London 2015
FloatArt London 2015 Bargehouse, OXO Tower Wharf, Southbank , London 2015
Angus-Hughs Summer Exhibition - Angus-Hughs Gallery, London 2015
BA Degree Show, Wimbledon College of Art, London 2015
Prizes
Prunella Clough Painting Prize - Shortlisted nominee 2014
Hans Brinker Budget Trophy Award - Shortlisted nominee 2014
FloatArt London - Shortlisted nominee 2015