Statement:

Leona was born in Indiana, and raised in Nova Scotia. Her educational credits include, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Diploma in Interactive Multimedia Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Arts. Her present educational pursuit is a BEd in Post Secondary Education. Relocating a number times in her twenties eventually led to her residence in New Mexico, where she immersed herself in the Studio Arts. Best known for her first love, painting, she discovered the joy of sculpture while in New Mexico. This was evident with the publishing of a sculpture in ReGeneration: Telling Stories from Our Twenties. In 2006, Leona returned to Canada where she presently resides.

Her artwork varies based on her emotional and psychological present, which leads to her 2 artistic styles. She creates strong surreal figurative pieces and abstract nature studies, exemplifying honesty in her art. She feels an artist should create what she feels at that moment without being pigeonholed into one style or technique for the duration of her career. Working in more than one style simultaneously, she can honestly work in the style that most closely represents her emotional and psychological state of mind at that moment.

Figurative Female Imagery: Leona's artwork speaks to the problem of continued inequality, injustice, as well as physical, mental, emotional and spiritual constraint. These aspects of self cannot be truly examined as separate entities. Nor can they be examined in complete objectivity. Although she uses the female form in much of her work, and the issues of women are dear to her, she feels her work can speak universally to cultural and spiritual experiences as well. She explores issues that are at once global and intensely personal.

Nature Studies: This leads into the expressive nature studies. These are more serene and calm yet contain substantial movement. Even in motion, they are light and airy, when the weight of the issues expressed in her surreal figurative images are lifted. Stemming from the struggle and hope felt in the surreal figurative images, these actualize the positive outcome, the peace and contentment in the moment - the connection to the natural world.