Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION:
2021 JVS, Welding & Fab. SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, Plasma. AWS D1.1 Structural Cert. 3G MIG
2019 Lakeland Community College, Arc Welding Fundamentals
2011 Cleveland Institute of Art, B.F.A. Biomedical Illustration
2010 Cuyahoga Community College. Cross-registered for African American Literature
2010-11 Cleveland State University, Cross-registered for Human Biology and Endocrinology
2008-09 Case Western Reserve University, Cross-registered for Biology, Anatomy & Physiology
2007-08 Lorain County Community College, Associates in Entrepreneurship
2006-07 Columbus College of Art & Design, Foundation Studies
EXHIBITIONS:
2024 Figurative Realism of Ohio. Schumacher Gallery. Bexley, OH
2023 Woman XV. The Gallery at Lakeland. Kirtland, OH
2023 Solo Show. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, OH
2023 Her Story. Virgil Catherine Gallery. Chicago, IL
2023 Windows to the Inside: Expressions of Mental Health. Woman Made Gallery. Chicago, IL
2023 LA Art Show. Art Unified. Los Angeles, CA
2023 Art Rise. Asian Art Museum. San Francisco, CA
2023 Women.Life.Freedom. Mozaik Philanthropy. International Virtual Show of Honorariums.
2022 Scope. Art Unified. Art Basel. Miami, FL
2022 Paul and Norma Painting Prize Juried Show. Ashtabula, OH
2022 Solo Show. Kaiser Gallery. Cleveland, OH
2022 101 Wishes. A benefit for Max. Bonfoey Gallery. Cleveland, OH
2022 Art Market Hamptons Art Fair. Bridgehampton, NY
2022 CAN Triennial. You Are Here. Bonfoey Gallery / CSU Gallery. Cleveland, OH
2022 Bearing Witness: Urgent Response Unprecedented Times. D. Colabella Gallery. Ridgefield, CT
2022 LA Art Show. Art Unified. Los Angeles, CA
2022 Biennial Juried Exhibition. Medici Museum of Art. Warren, Ohio
2021 Biennial Juried Exhibition. Riffe Gallery. Columbus, Ohio
2021 BYND LMTS. National Group Show RPAC Gallery. Ridgefield, CT
2021 All About Women. National Juried Show. Marin Society of Artists. San Raphael, CA
2021 All Women’s Show. Group Show. District Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
2021 Gaze. International All Women’s Show. All She Makes & Art to Hearts. India.
2021 Mouse House Party Group Exhibition. Akron Art Museum. Current Cleveland. Cleveland, Ohio
2021 Re-Imagining Democracy. Future Art Awards. National Group Show. Mozaik Philanthropy. Honorariums Show
2021 Cleveland Print Room’s International Peer Show. Cleveland, Ohio
2021 Ohio Art League Spring Juried Show. Columbus, Ohio
2021 Women in Art 2021. Las Laguna Art Gallery. Laguna Beach, California
2021 One in a Year. The Painting Center. Chelsea. Manhattan, New York
2021 Spaces Member Juried Show 2021. Spaces. Cleveland, Ohio
2019 I AM A WOMAN. Lichtundfire Gallery. Manhattan, New York
2019 Figurtivas 2019 Semifinalist. European Museum of Modern Art. Barcelona, Spain
2018 Artwork Chosen for Midtown billboard during Art Basel. Miami, Florida
2018 Ohio Art League Fall Juried Show. Ft. Hayes Shot Tower. Columbus, Ohio
2016 60 Americans. Makeshift Museum. Los Angeles, California
2010 BMA Spring Show. Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
2009 Virtue, Vice, and Contraband. Allen Memorial Medical Library, CWRU. Cleveland, Ohio
2009 The Art and Science of Botanical Illustration. Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Cleveland, Ohio
2009 IME Show and BMA Spring Show. Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
2008 BMA Spring Show. Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
2007 Annual CCAD Student Exhibition. Columbus College of Art & Design. Columbus, Ohio
2006 Young American Patriotic Art Show. National VFW Women’s Auxiliary. Reno, Nevada
2006 National Congressional District Art Show. U.S. Capitol Building. Washington, D.C.
2006 Regional Ohio Congressional District Art Show. Akron, Ohio
2006 Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition. James A. Rhodes State Office Tower. Columbus, Ohio
2006 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Alliance Gallery. Manhattan, New York
2006 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Lorain County Community College. Elyria, Ohio
2005 National Congressional District Art Show. Senator Sherrod Brown’s Office. Washington, D.C.
2005 Regional Ohio Congressional District Art Show. Akron, Ohio
2005 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Diane Von Furstenberg Studio. Manhattan, New York
2005 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Alliance Gallery. Manhattan, New York
PUBLICATIONS & PRESS
2022 Cleveland Scene Magazine. Artist Leigh Brooklyn Displays Anatomical Mastery, Dystopian Vision in "All of ME". Sept. 29, 2022
2022 CAN Journal. The CAN Triennial 2022 Purchase and Exhibition Prizes. August, 2022
2022 Adcom Cleveland Arts Podcast, Episode 2. Recorded June, 6, 2022
2022 068 Magazine. On Bearing Witness: An Urgent Response to Unprecedented Times. March-April
2022 Mimi Magazine. Girl Power: Meet the Artist: Leigh Brooklyn. February, 2022
2022 Mills Road. Leigh Brooklyn, Artist. Feature. January 2, 2022
2021 American Illustration 40. Book published featuring the top illustrations in the year 2020. Nov.
2021 WKYC News 1. All Good News: We’re explaining the newest mural up in public square. Sept. 15
2021 Cleveland.com. Tennis in the Land Finals Set: Spirited Matches, Cleveland on Display. Aug 27
2021 FreshWater Cleveland. Students, artists team up w/ Cuyahoga Arts & Culture Aug. 26
2021 Spectrum News 1. NE Ohio Artist Uses Talents to Combat Domestic Abuse. Jan. 23, 2021
2020 More By Her. Leigh Brooklyn, Figurative Artist and Activist. Dec.16, 2020
2020 Fresh Water Cleveland. Dropping a Love Bomb: Local Artist Fights Domestic Violence with Newest Series.
2020 Creative Compass. Leigh Brooklyn: Creating a Women’s Empowerment Movement. Oct. 14
2019 WhiteHot Magazine. I AM A WOMAN. July 2019
2019 FreshWater Cleveland. 5 Up-and-Coming Artists to Watch in Cleveland. July 2019
2019 Beautiful Bizarre. Leigh Bongiorno and the Importance of Portraits in our Digital Age. April 20
2019 ArtVoices Magazine 10th Annual Special Edition. Cover & Feature. Spring 2019
2019 WhiteHot Magazine. Artist Leigh Bongiorno: Wants to Change the World. March 2019
2019 American Art Collector. Collector’s Focus. March 2019
2018 Beautiful Bizarre. Loving Humanity: The American Realism of Leigh Bongiorno. Dec. 2018
2018 The Cleveland Foundation. InterUrban Phase II Debuts. Part of Cleveland Book Week. Sept. 28
2018 Cleveland Scene Magazine. 23 Artists You Should be Following on Instagram. Sept. 2018
2017 ArtVoices Magazine 9th Annual Special Edition. Cover & Feature. Winter 2017
2017 Real Art Real Talk. Episode 3: In the Studio: Leigh Bongiorno. By Clayton Cambell. YouTube
2013 Surgical Atlas of Intestinal Stomas, Cleveland Clinic
2011 Santa’s Hideaway Hollows. Children’s Book
2010 Digital Art Revolution. Scott Ligon
2006 National VFW Women’s Auxiliary Magazine
EXPERIENCE & INVOLVEMENT:
2023 Mural & Diorama Project. Crane Creek Wildlife Reservation. Oak Harbor, Ohio
- Worked Graphite Design + Build painting landscapes for bird wildlife installations.
2023 Keynote Speaker. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Cleveland Institute of Art. OH
- Asked to speak about my experience with scholastics and to inspire the students. Jan.
2022 Artist Talk. Kaiser Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
- Talk for solo show All of Me. Nov. 2nd
2022 Keynote Speaker. The Collective. Kaiser Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
- Talked about marketing and networking in the Arts. Oct. 27th
2022 Street Art Workshop for Reelabilities Intl Film Festival. Museum of Contemporary Art. Cleveland, Ohio
- Taught street art stenciling in conjunction with screening of No Bone: A story of Survival. Sept 24th
2022 Procreate Workshop. Future Ink Graphics. Cleveland, Ohio
- Taught two-day workshop on Procreate digital software on Ipads. Sept 3rd & 10th
2022 101 Wishes. A Benefit for Max. Bonfoey Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
- One of 50 Artists donating work to cover stem cell infusions to save a fellow artist’s son. Sept. 12
2022 The Collective : Women’s Professional Group. Kaiser Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
- Co-created women’s networking group with guest speakers and catering. Launch event. Aug. 18th
2022 Accessible Art Open House Teaching Artist. Future Ink Graphics. Cleveland, Ohio
- Taught Procreate digital software on Ipads to disabled individuals. July 30th
2022 Art House Collaborative Mural. Campus International. Cleveland, Ohio
- Lead artist and art teacher on children’s mural in downtown Cleveland. 1st-4th grades. July
2022 Keynote Speaker. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Art Academy of Cincinnati, Ohio
- Asked to speak about my experience with scholastics and to inspire the students. Feb. 18th. 2022
2022 Ceremonial Inauguration of Mayor Justin Bibbs. Cleveland, Ohio
- Artist selected to show work in video for the ceremony. Jan. 8th. 2022
2021 Virtual Artist Talk. Riffe Gallery. Biennial Juried Exhibition. Columbus, Ohio
- Solo artist talk and for 2021 Biennial show. Dec. 15th. 2021
2021 Live Painting at Tennis in the Land . Tennis in the Land. Part of the Women's Tennis Association US Open Series. Cleveland, OH
- Raised Money for The City Mission by raffling off an oil painting made at the event.
2021 Virtual Studio Tour & Artist Talk. Column & Stripe. Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH
- Spoke about influences, inspiration, process, marketing and goal setting with group members at studio
2021 It’s Almost Tomorrow Mural. Collaboration with Amanda D. King. Cleveland, Ohio
- Created a mural with students of Citizens Leadership Academy SE. Public Square in downtown Cleveland for diversity and inclusivity to fight discrimination
2021 Virtual Artist Talk. Garrett, Indiana
- Spoke with BFA candidates about marketing in the arts
2021 W.A.G.S for Kids. Cleveland, Ohio
- Created artwork for fundraiser to give service animals to Autistic children in Cleveland
2020 Journey Center for Safety and Healing. Cleveland, Ohio
- Created artwork for Cleveland’s domestic abuse shelter to raise funding and awareness
2020 Virtual Artist talk. 7 Hills International School. Uganda
- Talked about influences, process, goal setting and marketing in the arts to middle school
2019 Studio to Street. Land Studio. Cleveland, Ohio
- Attended 2 day workshop to learn about public art and art proposals
2019 Portrait Society of America National Conference. Atlanta, Georgia
- Attended several workshops to learn about portraiture and to meet several renown figurative artists
2019 Understudied internationally acclaimed sculptor. Cleveland, Ohio
- learned techniques for classical figurative sculpture using oil based clay for bronze casts
2019 Murray Hill Life Drawing Group. Cleveland, Ohio
2018 InterUrban: Public Art and Culture Connector. RTA’s Red Line. Cleveland, Ohio
- One of 25 local, national, & international artists selected to illustrate the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award Winning Literature for the windows of the Regional Transit Authority train cars. My subject: Deafness
2018-2021 Cleveland Institute of Art. Alumni Council Member. Cleveland, Ohio
- Subcommittee member as well, for CIA’s alumni social media and class reunions
2018-2021 Cleveland Museum of Art. Column and Stripe, Co-Chair Programming. Cleveland, Ohio
2011-13 University Hospitals. Freelance Illustrator. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated anatomical images for the hospital’s gastroenterology department
2010 Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Intern in the Medical Illustration Department. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated anatomical images for surgical books & updated physician presentations
2009 Novelmed Therapeutics. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated monoclonal antibody therapy and disease pathways for websites and brochures
2006-07 Common Grounds Mural Arts Project. Oberlin, Ohio
- Artist and supervisor on murals with teens in the Boys and Girls Club and court appointed teens
2005 Understudied national portrait artist. Cleveland, Ohio
- Learned techniques for charcoal and pastel for realistic portrait drawings.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
2023 Women.Life.Freedom. Future Art Awards. Mozaik Philanthropy Virtual Show of Honorariums
2022 Paul and Norma Painting Prize. Ashtabula Art Center. Ashtabula, OH
2022 Solo Exhibition Award at CAN Triennial. The Mansfield Art Center Museum. Mansfield, OH
2022 Art Thug. One of Sixty Six artists given hoodies as cultural creators & activists across the US. Los Angeles, CA
2021 American Illustration 40. One of 426 artists selected from 7000 entries from the US. AI - PI. Manhattan, NY
2021 All About Women. National Juried Show. Honorable Mention. Marin Society of Artists. San Raphael, CA
2021 Mozaik Philanthropy National 2nd Annual Future Art Awards. Virtual Show of Honorariums
2021 Cleveland Print Room’s International Peer Show. Honorable Mention. Columbus, Ohio
2021 Ohio Art League Spring Juried Show. Honorable Mention. Columbus, Ohio
2020 Spaces Juried Member Show. People’s Choice. Spaces. Cleveland, Ohio
2020 Spaces Emergency Relief Grant. Spaces. Cleveland, Ohio
2020 Boynes International Emerging Artist Award. Melbourne, Australia
2013 Association of Medical Illustrators. Award of Merit for contributions to the Surgical Atlas of Intestinal Stomas.
2007 Columbus College of Art & Design. President’s List. Columbus, Ohio
2006 Columbus College of Art & Design. Trustees Scholarship and Top Scholar Student. Columbus, Ohio
2006 Nat’l Congressional District Art Show. Best of Show & First in Drawing. U.S. Capitol Building. D.C.
2006 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. American Vision Gold Award. Alliance Gallery. Manhattan, NY
2006 National VFW Women’s Auxiliary Patriotic Art Competition. Best in State & 2nd in U.S. Reno, Nevada
2005 Nat’l Congressional District Art Show. First in Painting & 2nd Overall. Washington D.C.
2005 National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. American Vision Gold Award. Diane Von Furstenberg Studio. Manhatten, NY
2005 National VFW Women’s Auxiliary Patriotic Art Competition. Best in State. Cincinnati, Ohio
GALLERIES & COLLECTIONS
2021 Art Unified. Venice, California
2021 D. Colabella Fine Art Gallery. Ridgefield, Connecticut
2020 District Gallery. Cleveland, Ohio
*Various Private Collections