WENDY LEACH, ARTIST (New Zealand / Belgium)

Biography - updated March 2010

1971 until 1973.
Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, graduating with Dip FA

1974.
Graduate Diploma of Teaching - Secondary

1975 until 1983.
Art teacher at St Cuthberts College, Remuera, Auckland
National Assessor for School Certificate, University Entrance and University BursaryArt examinations

1984 - 1989.
Art tutor - adult classes

1988.
First solo exhibition

1990 and 1991.
ASA School of Art, Auckland, Tutor in Painting and Drawing

1992.
Art Tutor - East City Community Education Programme

1993, 1994 and 1995.
Art Tutor - Teaching at Outreach, Auckland, and private classes

1996 until 2005.
Full-time painting and leading tours and art retreats in Italy

2004.
Travels to Jordan by private invitation and works towards exhibition
of landscapes in Jordan, October 2004.

2004 - 2007.
Art tutor - adult classes St Heliers

2006 and 2007.
Master of Fine Arts degree.

2008.
Graduation exhibition for Master of Fine Arts, January 19 - 25. Awarded Master of Fine Arts (Hons, 1st class)

2009.
Relocated to live in Brussels, Belgium.

2010.
Art tutor, Tervuren, Brussels. 'Drawing for Beginners' course for adults.

Sets up studio in Brussels.

EXHIBITIONS

1988 ASA Gallery, Auckland

1989 Twelve Potters Gallery, Auckland

1990 Ferner Gallery, Auckland

1993 Morgan Street Gallery, Auckland

1994 John Leech Gallery, Auckland

1995 Tinakori Gallery, Wellington; John Leech Gallery, Auckland

1996 Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch; Tinakori Gallery, Wellington; John Leech Gallery, Auckland

1997 Tinakori Gallery, Wellington; John Leech Gallery, Auckland

1998 John Leech Gallery, Auckland

1999 John Leech Gallery, Auckland

2000 Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch; Tinakori Gallery, Wellington

2001 Studio of Contemporary Art, Auckland

2002 Studio of Contemporary Art, Auckland

2003 Fishers Fine Arts, Christchurch

2004 Al Hussein Centre, Amman, Jordan.

2008 Randolph St Gallery, Auckland. Light Space Time. Graduation exhibition for Master of Fine Arts. ...Link to exhibited works

GROUP SHOWS

1988 to 1990 Association of Women Artists exhibitions
Elam Centenary Show, Ferner Gallery
Birkenhead Art Award
ASA Working Members Exhibitions
King Country Art Award
National Mutual Touring Exhibition
Exhibition for the Children's Cancer Foundation, Wellington

1991 2 Group shows at Rita Webster Gallery
Avenue One Art Awards, Tauranga (Merit Award)
Waitakere Trust Art Award
Auckland Children's Hospital Art Exhibition
Birkenhead Art Award

1992 ''Interiors'' Exhibition, Artis Gallery
Exhibition of Figurative Paintings, Artis Gallery
Group Show, Rita Webster Gallery

1993 ''An Exhibition of Small Proportions'' Morgan Street Gallery
''Wallflowers'' Exhibition, Morgan Street Gallery

1994 ''Provence pour moi...'' Morgan Street Gallery

1999 ''Long Hot Summer, 3 artists paint Akaroa'' Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch
''As Far as the Eye can See'' Mairangi Arts Centre, Auckland

2006 "Breath of Nature - Korea / New Zealand International Exchange Exhibition", Aotea Centre, Auckland

INTERNATIONAL PAINTING

1993 Provence, France
1994 Provence, France
1995 Provence, France
1996 Provence and Tuscany, Italy
1997 Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
1998 Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
1999 Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
2000 Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
2001 Umbria and Puglia, Italy
2002 Provence and Cote d'Azur, France
2004 Jordan, Middle East
2005 Italy and Sardinia

INTERNATIONAL TOURS escorted by Wendy Leach.

1998 'Heart of Italy' tour to Umbria
2000 'Heart of italy' tour to Umbria
2001 'Heart of Italy' tour to Umbria
2003 'Heart of Italy' tour to Umbria

ARTIST RETREATS (residential art workshops, organised and tutored by Wendy Leach)

2001 March, Artist Retreat at Mangawhai Heads.
2004 March, Artist Retreat at Mangawhai Heads.
2005 Artist Retreat, Italy.
2006 March, Artist Retreat at Mangawhai Heads.

ARTICLES / ESSAYS WRITTEN BY WENDY LEACH

2000 'NZ Woman's Weekly' 17 January, 'Journey of the Soul', travel article about Umbria

2004 'NEXT' magazine, September issue, 'Dead Sea Strolls', article about Jordan

MFA THESIS

2007 FROM A POINT OF BEING - Space, Time and Light, Master of Fine Arts,
Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design . Link to thesis

ESSAY by Dr Carole Shepheard

Give me a darkened space and I will paint with light, November, 2007.
Essay, by Dr Carole Shepheard, Professor of Fine Arts, University of Auckland.
Link to Dr Shepherd's essay

PUBLICATIONS / PUBLISHING

1990 Greeting cards, John Sands Limited

1996 NZ Contemporary Art Calendar, Saint Publishing Limited
Greeting card, Barnardos

1999 Christmas card, Morrison Kent, Barristers and Solicitors

2000 Series of thirteen greeting cards featuring NZ landscapes, LiveWires Ltd
Series of eight greeting cards featuring European landscapes, LiveWires Ltd
Christmas card, Morrison Kent, Barristers and Solicitors
Limited edition prints, Tuscany, Umbria, Provence landscapes
Limited edition prints, New Zealand landscapes

2001 Christmas card, Morrison Kent, Barristers and Solicitors

2002 Christmas card, Morrison Kent, Barristers and Solicitors

2002 Series of eight greeting cards featuring NZ landscapes, LiveWires Ltd
Further series of eight greeting cards featuring NZ landscapes, LiveWires Ltd

2002 "Art New Zealand Today" by E M Caughey, Pages 60 and 61

2004 New Zealand Art Diary - 20 Contemporary Artists
Further series of eight greeting cards featuring NZ Landscapes, LiveWires Ltd

2005 Series of Telecom PhoneCards

2008 "New Zealand's Favourite Artists 2" pub. Saint Publishing, Ed. Denis Robinson

ARTICLES AND REVIEWS about Wendy Leach

1993 Review by T J MacNamara,'Perspective on Art' NZ Herald, November 25
Article, 'Art News', Spring Edition

1994 Review by T J MacNamara,'Perspective on Art' NZ Herald, September 22

1996 Article, Air New Zealand 'Pacific Way', September

1998 'The Wendy Leach Story', article, Living Today magazine, June
'Italian Infusion', article, N Z House and Garden, October

2000 'International Artist' magazine , Issue #10, featured in 'Master Artists of the World' section.
'International Artist' magazine , Issue #12, eight page feature article

2001 Signature magazine, October / November 2001

2004 Article, JO Magazine, Jordan

PUBLIC AND CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

Wendy Leach's artwork is held in public or corporate collections, both in New Zealand and overseas.