Leah Hopkins Henry Is RACA’s Featured Southern Artist
Rome, Georgia - Rome Area Council for the Arts is proud to host Rome’s own Leah Hopkins Henry as its 2008 Featured Southern Artist.
The exhibit, Life Expressions, will be on display February 18-March 21, 2008, at the RACA Gallery, 248 Broad Street. Gallery hours are 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, and by appointment. Admission to the gallery is free of charge. For more information, contact RACA at (706) 295-ARTS.
The opening reception with the artist will be Thursday, February 21st, 6:00-8:00p.m., at the Rome Area Council for the Arts Gallery on Broad Street.
Mrs. Henry’s work will also be featured at Rome Area Council for the Arts new fundraising event, The Art of Chocolate: Chocolate, Champagne and Chamber Music, Sunday, February 24 from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. at the Forrest Ballroom.
From elementary school days in Lindale, Georgia, Atlanta artist Leah Hopkins Henry can’t remember a time when art was not a part of her life. At ten years of age, Leah had her artwork hanging in the state capital and was drawing portraits of family and friends.
While still in Jr. High School, she studied figure drawing outside of her school.
Leah holds a B.A. degree from The University of Georgia and has attended the American College of Applied Arts. After college, life led Leah on many journeys that have contributed to her painting style and attitude. She has had her own antiques business and was a buyer for a very large architectural antiques auction house. She also has had a successful interior design business.
Leah has traveled extensively and visited many museums throughout the world. She has been inspired by many wonderful artists including Bouguereau, Sargent, and the Old Masters. Contemporary Realism is how the artist describes her work. Leah got back to her art roots in 1994 by taking an oil painting class and from that point on (except to give birth to 2 beautiful boys), she paints every chance she gets. Leah has studied with nationally known artists such as Daniel Greene, John de la Vega, David Leffel, Marc Chatov and James Schell and strives to learn everything she possibly can on the subject of painting.
In 2005, Leah co-founded the Atlanta Fine Arts League, as a catalyst for “Art From the Heart”, a program in which local artists paint portraits of Georgia soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and donate them to surviving family members. The portraits have been exhibited at the National Museum of Patriotism, the Veterans Administration Building (Sloppy Floyd) and will be at the state capitol for opening session January 14th – 21st. Aside from Art From the Heart, the Atlanta Fine Arts League is working on other
worthy projects, including providing professional visual artists the opportunity for exhibitions; art and business education workshops and seminars; and volunteer and community service.
To learn more visit their web site at www.atlantafineartsleague.org.
Leah is a member of many local and national arts organizations including, The Portrait Society of America, Oil Painters of America, The Atlanta Artists Center, Quinlan Art Center and is a juried member of the Portrait Society of Atlanta. Hopkins Henry is also a member of the Cecelia Beaux Forum of the Portrait Society of America and serves on their Exhibitions Committee.
Leah’s exhibits and awards include, Oil Painters of America National Show, a juried exhibit in Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta Artists Center, Juried Traveling Show; as well as nine paintings in juried exhibitions in 2007 alone. Her painting of “Isabelle” won Best in Show at Atlanta Artists Center’s 2007 Dogwood Show and “Syah” took 3rd place in the 2007 Portrait Society of Atlanta Fall exhibition. As 2008 begins, Leah is continuing her artistic excellence by winning 1st place with their painting of “Emily”, 2nd place with “Amanda with Violin” and has had a third painted selected for a juried show – “The Winner’s Circle” at the Atlanta Artists Center.
The artist has a unique ability to capture the likeness and the spirit of the individual. Leah’s paintings can be found in many homes and corporate collections and her work has been exhibited through out the U.S. She is represented by “A Stroke of Genius”, www.portraitartist.com.
Leah accepts commissions for portraits, pet portraits, and architecture. She also loves to paint still lifes and landscapes. Leah lives in Atlanta with her husband Mike, and two boys, Zach and Stokes. “I believe there is beauty in everyone and everything, we just have to find it. I feel very blessed to have been given this talent and I am driven to find the uniqueness and integrity in everything I paint.” - Leah Hopkins Henry www.leahhenry.com
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A non-profit organization, Rome Area Council for the Arts is funded by the City of Rome, private and corporate contributions, and Georgia Council for the Arts, through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. The Council is a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. (706) 295-ARTS.
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