My career has taken two parallel paths: one doing corporate commissions for interiors, in particular for the cruise industry (my work is in the permanent collections onboard at least a couple dozen ships), and the other selling my paintings online, through galleries or by private commission. The corporate work required me to be versatile so I have worked in a wide array of genres and mediums, but my other work tends to be figurative with portraits and animals featuring frequently in my paintings.
I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and my fondest memories are of visiting my grandparents who lived on farming land (I adored their chickens and would even pick up and cuddle the hens). I loved taking walks through the African bush surrounded by nature and spotting wildlife. My grandmother was a keen bird-watcher and taught me many of the names. I really loved drives through the Zambezi Valley and game reserves to view bigger game like elephant, zebra, various antelope, and even on rarer occasions, leopard or lion. Sometimes we went on fishing trips to Lake Kariba surrounded by beautiful landscapes as well as hippo and crocodiles! Horses were also a childhood obsession and I still have one of my first paintings which was of Black Beauty galloping across a field with an orange sunset sky. I now live in racehorse country on Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, home of the famous Derby flat race. Though close to the outskirts of Greater London, it is quite rural here in Surrey - I am a country girl at heart!
EXHIBITIONS:
Da Vinci Fine Art, London Art Events - ongoing representation 2019 to present
Red Dot Gallery, Painswick, Gloucestershire - Solo Show - Sep Oct 2019
Wildwood Gallery, Bookham, Surrey - ongoing representation Nov 2019 to present
Epsom & Ewell Arts Festival - Journey of Discovery Exhibition - People's Choice Award July 2018
Lacy Road Gallery, Putney - ongoing representation up to Dec 2018
The Corner Gallery, Carshalton Beeches - 2 person 'Mother and Daughter' show March 2014
The Royal Automobile Club, Epsom - 2 person exhibition April 2013
Chelsea Town Hall, London - Untitled Artists' Fair May 2012
What Are You Looking At Gallery, Islington - group show March 2012
Blackall Studios, Shoreditch, London -3 person exhibition Sept 2011
Corner Gallery, Carshalton - themed group exhibition May 2011
Denbies Gallery, Dorking - 4 person show Dec 2008
Corner Gallery, Carshalton - themed group exhibition Sept 2008
Royal College of Art, London - Richard & Judy Art Competition Exhibition Nov 2003
Karen Taylor Fine Art, London - various group shows and art fairs July 2002 to Feb 2004
Wimbledon Art Studios, London - summer and winter open studio shows 1999 to 2003
Croatian Embassy, London - 2 person exhibition Nov 2002
Torre Abbey, Devon - solo exhibition July to Sept 2002
Troubadour Gallery, London - 2 person exhibition Dec 2001
Zimbabwe Embassy, London - African artists exhibitions Oct 1999 and 2000
Lipschitz Gallery, Cape Town - group exhibitions April, June 1998
Agora Gallery, Soho, New York - 4 person show and 30 person show Jan and April 1995
Harrisburg Art Association, Pennsylvania - 67th Annual Juried Exhibition May 1995
Open Stage Gallery, Harrisburg PA - Best of Show in juried exhibition Sept 1994
Doshi Gallery, Harrisburg - First Prize in juried exhibition April 1994
Leigh Banks joined Pixels.com Licensing on November 10th, 2008.
