Harry Leigh (b. 1931) graduated from Albright Art School and SUNY College at Buffalo, where he received his Bachelor's degree in 1953. Drafted into the United States Army that same year, he trained as a radio operator and was stationed in West Germany. While serving in Europe, he traveled extensively, visiting museums and architectural sites. Upon return, Leigh took advantage of the GI Bill to study under Peter Voulkos and received a Masters degree in 1959 from Teacher's College, Columbia University. He studied painting privately with Richard Pousette-Dart from 1956-1960. It was during this period he began experimenting with large constructed works using cardboard, plaster, and plywood; by 1965, sculpture became his principal medium.
In his first solo exhibition at the Brata Gallery in New York City in 1967, Leigh realized for the first time the integration of his work, travel and educational experiences. In 1974 and 1978, solo exhibitions of his work were mounted at OK Harris Gallery. He has been awarded residencies at Yaddo, The MacDowell Colony, and the Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation Studio Program. He resides in Suffern, NY .
Photo: Nicholas Knight
EDUCATION
1959 Columbia University TC, MA, New York, NY
1953 State University of New York, BS, Buffalo, NY
1952 Albright School of Art, Diploma, Buffalo, NY
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Harry Leigh l Solo, Galerie kajetan, Art Dusseldorf 2023, Dusseldorf, Germany
2022 Shaping the Energy of Contained Spaces, kajetan, Berlin, Germany
2017 Form Potential, Jordana Zeldin, New York, NY,
2016 "Harry Leigh: Essential Form," The Amelie A. Wallace Gallery at SUNY College at Old Westbury, NY
2010 "New Work," John Davis Gallery, Hudson, NY
2002 Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, Sparkill, NY
1992 Blue Hill Cultural Center, Pearl River, NY
1989 Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Sparkill, NY
1987 Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ, Solo exhibit
1982 Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY
1978 OK Harris Gallery, New York, NY
1974 OK Harris Gallery, New York, NY
1971 Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA
1969 Brata Gallery, New York, NY
1967 Brata Gallery, New York, NY
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Valerie_Traan, Antwerp, Belgium, kajetan at valerie_traan
2021 Macy Art Gallery@Teachers College, New York, NY, Celebrating Bridges: Art and Art Education Program Alumni Exhibition
2020 Samuel Dorsky Museum Of Art, New Paltz, NY, New Folk: Hudson Valley Artists 2020
2019 Art Omi, Ghent, NY, Open Studio
2018 Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz, NY, Time Travelers
2018 Buster Levi Gallery, Cold Spring, NY
2017 Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz, NY, Undercurrents: The River as Metaphor
2016 “Lightly Structured,” Sculpture Space NYC, Long Island City, NY
2015 "Object’ Hood," Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY
2014 Buster Levi Gallery, Cold Spring, NY
2013 56th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Chautauqua, NY
2010 Trans Lux Gallery, New York, NY
2009 River Journey Through Space and Time Cornwall – on – Hudson N.Y.
2008 Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, Sparkill, NY, “Then & Now”
2008 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY. Artistic Friendships of Lawrence Calagno
2007 Garrison Arts Center, Garrison, NY, Current
2006 John Davis Gallery, Hudson, NY
2005 OK Harris Gallery, New York, NY, Summer Invitational
2004 Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo NY, NY Collects Buffalo State
2004 Pratt Institute Sculpture Park, Brooklyn, NY
2002 Blue Hill Cultural Center, Pearl River, NY, Line, Letter or Color
2001 Pomona Cultural Center, Pomona, NY
2000 Silvermine Guild, New Canaan, CT, Art of the Northeast, Juried Exhibition
2000 Hudson River Designer Showhouse, Nyack, NY, Monumental Outdoor Sculpture
2000 Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Yaddo Artist, Brooklyn, NY
1999 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, Sculptors in Their Environments
1998 Blue Hill Cultural Center, Pearl River, NY, Interpreting the River
1996, 97 Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, NH
1997 National Academy of Design, New York, NY
1997 Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS
1996 Rockland Community College, Suffern,NY, Art from the Colonies
1996 The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY, Thirty-fifth Juried Exhibition
1996 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, The Rockland Connection, Part II
1995 Rockland County Conservation Association, Pomona, NY
1995 Art Works Gallery, Pomona, NY
1995 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY
1993 Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY, Collection Selection
1993 Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY, X-Sightings ‘93
1992 “Expressions of Spring,” Impressive Interiors Gallery, Milton, NY
1991 Pierson Lakes Exhibit, Sterlington, NY, Invitational
1991 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY
1991 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY, Works on Paper
1991 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY, Wood
1989 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY
1988 Anita Shapolsky Gallery, New York, NY
1988 Josiah White Exhibition Center, Jim Thorpe, PA, Contemporary Sculpture
1987 A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY, Invitational
1986 Burchfield Art Center, Buffalo, NY, Works from the Permanent Collection
1986 Clove Furnace, Arden, NY, The Art of Rockland and Orange
1985 Kenkeleba Gallery, New York, NY, The Gathering of the Avant-Garde
1984 Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Sparkill, NY, Architecture/Sculpture
1983 Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Sparkill, NY, Eight Sensibilities, Invitational
1983 Noel Fine Art, Bronxville, NY, Thirteen Uptown
1983 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, Sculpture for Rockland County Sites
1982 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, The Constructed Image
1977 Rockland Center for the Arts, West Nyack, NY, Sculpture Rockland
1976 Clarksville on the Hudson Gallery, Nyack, NY
1974 Pace University, New York, NY, Off the Wall
1972 OK Harris Gallery, New York, NY
1971 Finch College, New York, NY, Projected Artist at Work
1971 Rockland Foundation, Nyack, NY, Landscape
1970 Audubon Artist, New York, NY, 28th Annual
1967, 68,70 Westchester Art Society, White Plains, NY, Annual
1970 Thorne Museum, Keene, NH
1969 Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT, 20th New England Exhibition
1969 Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA, Art Annual
1967 Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA, Art Annual
1967 Rockland Foundation, Nyack, NY
1967 Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY, Rockland County Artists
1965 Brata Gallery, New York, NY, Tenth Street Now
1964 Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY, Rockland County Artists
1963 Rockland Foundation, Nyack, NY
1962 Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York, NY, Young Americans
1962 Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY, 22nd Ceramics National
1957 Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany, NY
1953 Rochester Memorial Gallery, Rochester, NY, Invitational
1952, 53, 58 Albright Gallery, Buffalo, NY, The Western New York Show
COLLECTIONS
Pratt Institute Sculpture Park, Brooklyn, NY
The Birchfield Center, Buffalo, NY
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, KS
AWARDS & GRANTS
2018 Pollock-Kranser Foundation Grant
2014 New York Foundation for the Arts, Artist Fellowship Award for Sculpture
2010 The Richard Florsheim Art Fund Studio Award
2007 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Residency at Yaddo
2002 SUNY Rockland Community College, President’s Award for Research and Scholarship
1988-89 Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, Grant for Artist’s Residency, Sparkill, NY
1978-79 CAPS Grant, NY
1971 Berkshire Art Association, MA, First Agricultural National Bank Monetary Award for Sculpture
1970 Westchester Art Society, NY, Honorable Mention Award for Sculpture
1970 Audubon Artists 28th Annual, National Academy Galleries, NY, Honorable Mention Award
1969 Berkshire Art Association, MA, Priscilla S.Ward Monetary Award for Sculpture
RESIDENCIES
Yaddo: 2017 (forthcoming), 2014, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001,
1996, 1990, 1987, 1980, 1979, 1972,
Marie Walsh Sharpe Foundation: 2010
The MacDowell Colony: 1986, 1985,1983, 1975, 1974, 1972, 1970, 1969, 1968
Hand Hollow: 1980
COMMISSIONS
2008 Albany International Airport Site Specific Sculpture, Albany, NY, “Hudson Cascade”