Curriculum Vitae
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023 Battle Scars. The New Protagonist. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, OH
2022 All of Me. Kaiser Gallery. Cleveland, OH
EXHIBITIONS:
2025 Figurative Realism of Ohio. Schumacher Gallery. Bexley, OH
2025 Zodiac. Medici Museum of Art. Warren, OH
2025 The Collective Group Exhibition. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, OH
2025 54th Annual Gates Mills Art Show. Gates Mills, OH
2025 Bryn Du Art Annual. Bryn Du Art Center. Granville, OH
2024 Things That Can't Be Forgotten. Riffe Gallery. Columbus, OH
2024 Paul and Norma Tikkanen Painting Prize Juried Show. Ashtabula Art Center, Ashtabula, OH
2024 38th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition. Chelsea. New York, NY
2024 Proximity Of Fate, Triennial Exhibition. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, OH
Shown with Keihinde Wiley, Hank Willis Thomas, Shantell Martin, Carrie Mae Weems, Zoë Buckman
2024 Figurative Realism of Ohio. Beeler Gallery. Columbus College of Art & Design. Columbus, OH
2024 Through Her Eyes. Virgil Catherine Gallery. Chicago, IL
2024 Street Art Show. Julia De Burgos. Rayburn Gallery. MOCA. Cleveland, OH
2024 The New Vanguard: Explorations the New Contemporary. Keep Contemporary. Santa Fe, NM
2023 On Line: Drawing our Reality. Worthington Yards. Cleveland, OH
2023 Touch. Art Pawn. New York, NY
2023 Big @$$ Art Show. Valley Art Center. Chagrin Falls, OH
2023 Women.Life.Freedom. Woman Made Gallery. Chicago, IL
2023 Women XV. The Gallery at Lakeland. Kirtland, OH
2023 Her Story. Virgil Catherine Gallery. Chicago, IL
2023 Windows to the Inside: Expressions of Mental Health. Woman Made Gallery. Chicago, IL
2023 Art Rise. Asian Art Museum. San Francisco, CA
2023 Women.Life.Freedom. Mozaik Philanthropy. International Virtual Show of Honorariums.
2022 Paul and Norma Painting Prize Juried Show. Ashtabula, OH
2022 101 Wishes. A benefit for Max. Bonfoey Gallery. Cleveland, OH
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 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.
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
ART FAIRS:
2024 Art Miami. Art Unified. Miami, FL
2024 Other Art Fair. Visionary Projects. Zero Space. Brooklyn, NY
2024 Volta Art Fair. Art Unified. Armory Week. Chelsea Industrial. New York, NY
2024 Intersect Art and Design. Art Unified. Aspen, CO
2024 Hamptons Fine Art Fair. Art Unified. Southhampton Fairgrounds. Southhampton, NY
2024 Affordable Art Fair. Art Unified. Palmer Events Center. Austin, TX
2024 Other Art Fair. Saatchi Art. Chicago, IL
2024 LA Art Show. Art Unified. LA Convention Center. Los Angeles, CA
2024 Art Palm Beach. Art Unified. Palm Beach County Convention Center. Palm Beach, FL
2023 Scope Art Fair. Art Unified. Miami, FL
2023 Affordable Art Fair. Art Unified. New York, NY
2023 Hamptons Fine Art Fair. Tuckahoe, NY
2023 Art Market San Francisco. Art Unified. San Francisco, CA
2023 Affordable Art Fair. Art Unified. Los Angeles, CA
2022 Scope. Art Unified. Miami, FL
2022 Art Market Hamptons Art Fair. Bridgehampton, NY
2022 LA Art Show. Art Unified. Los Angeles, CA
PUBLICATIONS & PRESS:
2024 American Art Collector. December 2024
2024 Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. Go Figure. Nov/Dec 2024
2024 PA33 Fall 2024. Artist features & Interviews. 33 Contemporary. Poets & Artists.
2024 Tuesday @7, Multidisciplinary Artist Leigh Brooklyn Shares Her Story with Roger Miller. June 4th
2024 Artist Feature: Leigh Brooklyn. Canvas Rebel. January 2024
2023 Artist Feature: Leigh Brooklyn. Bold Journey Magazine. November 2023
2023 Cross Country Camera with Stephen Kennedy. August 2023
2023 Virtues and Vocations. A Glimmer of Hope. Horizontality in the Leadership and Art of Women.Life.Freedom. Notre Dame University for Social Concerns
2023 Sittin' with Kelby King. Talk Show Interview. WMFD TV. June 14th
2023 Canvas Magazine. Breaking Boundaries. Leigh Brooklyn Explores Concepts of Women's Identity and Strength. Cover and Featured Article. Spring 2023
2023 Richland Source. Mansfield Live Art Talk April 13th. March 30th
2023 Richland Source. Mansfield middle schoolers learn about street art during Mansfield Art Center Visit. March 27th
2023 WMFD.COM. Mansfield Art Center Debuts New Exhibits from March 19th Through April 16th. March 21
2023 Artelibre. ModPortrait. Barcelona, Spain.
2023 CAN Journal. Empowered & Armed: Hijacking the Female Narrative: Leigh Brooklyn at Mansfield. March, 3, 2023
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 Campbell. 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
AWARDS & RECOGNITION:
2024 10th Portrait. Talent Prize. Teravarna Art Gallery
2024 Paul and Norma Painting Prize. Ashtabula Art Center. Ashtabula, OH
2024 88th Annual Midyear Show. Butler Institute of American Art. Youngstown, OH
2023 77th Ohio Annual Exhibition. Best in Painting. Zanesville Museum of Art. Zanesville, OH
2023 Denis Diderot Grant. Chateau Orquevaux. Orquevaux, France
2023 American Illustration 42. 1 of 393 artists selected from 8000 entries from the US. AI - PI. Manhattan, NY
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. 1 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. Cleveland, 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
ARTIST TALKS & SPEAKING:
2025 Art As Resistance: A Conversation with Women Who Create Change. Kaiser Studios. Cleveland, Ohio
- Panel Talk, One of three female artists who use their work for protest. May 29th
2024 Artist Panel Talk. Peter B. Lewis Auditorium, Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
- One of Five alumni discussing professional practices with students
2023 Artist Talk. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, Ohio
- Talk for solo show: Battle Scars, The New Protagonist. April 13th
2023 Artist Talk. Soaring with Help, Hope, and Healing. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, Ohio
- Artist talk with Brittoney Roane and Nicole Brown Horsten
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 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
2021 Virtual Artist Talk. Riffe Gallery. Biennial Juried Exhibition. Columbus, Ohio
- Solo artist talk and for 2021 Biennial show. Dec. 15th. 2021
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 Virtual Artist Talk. Garrett, Indiana
- Spoke with BFA candidates about marketing in the arts
2020 Virtual Artist talk. 7 Hills International School. Uganda
- Talked about influences, process, goal setting and marketing in the arts to middle school
2019 Artist Talk, Panel Discussion. Lichtundfire Gallery. New York, NY
- Artists in show I AM A WOMAN spoke with Noah Becker on the show
FUNDRAISERS, CHARITY & ACTIVISM:
2024 Greene County Juvenile Detention & Rehabilitation Center. Xenia, OH
- Taught a workshop about street art to the teens and young adults in the facility
2024 Votes Ohio Art. Creative Ohio & Greater Columbus Arts Council. Columbus, OH
- Artwork used to encourage creative individuals in Ohio to vote
2023 Women's Fund of Central Ohio. Columbus, Ohio
- Created artwork to silent auction off art solo show in Mansfield Art Center to raise money.
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 Ceremonial Inauguration of Mayor Justin Bibbs. Cleveland, Ohio
- Artist selected to show work in video for the ceremony. Jan. 8th. 2022
2021 Live Painting at Tennis in the Land for The City Mission.
- Part of the Women's Tennis Association US Open Series. Cleveland, OH
- Raised money for homeless shelter by raffling off an oil painting made at the event.
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 Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry. Cleveland, Ohio
- Commissioned to draw portrait of one of the founders. Work with rehabilitating those previously incarcerated
COMMITTEES & GROUPS:
2025 Cleveland Institute of Art. Cleveland Alumni Chapter. Cleveland, OH
- Chapter Head for group to organize alumni events
2024 Zygote Press Member. Zygote Press. Cleveland, OH
2024 FAVA Member. FAVA. Oberlin, OH
2024 Renaissance Box. Community Outreach. Kaiser Studios. Cleveland, Ohio
- On committee to help start artist and stem residency program
2024 Column & Stripe. Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
2024 Contemporary Art Society. Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, Ohio
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
2019 Murray Hill Life Drawing Group. Cleveland, Ohio
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
PUBLIC ART:
2025 Greek Gardens Monument. Cleveland Cultural Gardens. Cleveland, OH
- On team at Fairplay Stone Carving creating Greek Garden Monument with clay figure modeling and stone carving.
2025 Stories of Us. Cleveland, OH
- Painted Sculptures for Nationwide traveling exhibition.
2023 Mural & Diorama Project. Crane Creek Wildlife Reservation. Oak Harbor, Ohio
- Worked with Graphite Design + Build painting landscapes for bird wildlife installations.
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
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
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
ARCHITECTURE & SCULPTURE:
2025 Defiance County Courthouse. Defiance, OH
- On team at Fairplay Stone Carving recreating detailed architectural molding for exterior of building.
2025 Greek Gardens Monument. Cleveland Cultural Gardens. Cleveland, OH
- On team at Fairplay Stone Carving creating Greek Garden Monument with clay figure modeling and stone carving
2024 Lion Sculpture for Private Estate. Columbus, OH
- On team at Fairplay Stone Carving carving 12,000 lbs. limestone lion sculpture using pneumatics
2023 Gothic Fireplace for Private Estate. Cleveland, OH
- On team at Fairplay Stone Carving creating custom limestone fireplace.
JURYING:
2025 Juror. 54th Annual Gates Mills Art Show. Gates Mills, OH
- One of three jurors. Juried over 400 pieces
2024 Juror. Cain Park Art Festival. Cleveland Heights, OH
- One of three Jurers. Juried show of 144 artist booths.
2024 Juror. Stella Art Gallery. Willoughby, OH
- Juried show for local gallery
SELECT TEACHING:
2023 Street Art Workshop. Mansfield Middle School. Mansfield Art Center. Mansfield, Ohio
- Taught Mansfield Middle School students about street art stenciling in conjunction with solo show
2023 Broadway School of Music and the Arts. Cleveland, Ohio
- Taught art classes with middle schoolers in the the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
2022 Art House. Cleveland, Ohio
- Taught art classes with elementary & middle school throughout the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
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
BIOMEDICAL ILLUSTRATION:
University Hospitals. Freelance Illustrator. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated anatomical images for the hospital’s gastroenterology department
Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Intern in the Medical Illustration Department. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated anatomical images for surgical books & updated physician presentations
Novelmed Therapeutics. Cleveland, Ohio
- Digitally illustrated monoclonal antibody therapy and disease pathways for websites and brochures
EDUCATION:
JVS, Welding & Fab. SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, Plasma. AWS D1.1 Struct. Cert. 3G MIG
Lakeland Community College, Arc Welding Fundamentals
Cleveland Institute of Art, B.F.A. Biomedical Illustration
Cuyahoga Community College. Cross-registered for African American Literature
Cleveland State University, Cross-registered for Human Biology and Endocrinology
Case Western Reserve University, Cross-registered for Biology, Anatomy & Physiology
Lorain County Community College, Associates in Entrepreneurship
Columbus College of Art & Design, Foundation Studies
APPRENTICESHIPS & CONTINUED EDUCATION:
2024 Etching & Printmaking Class. Zygote Press. Cleveland, OH
- Learned techniques for copper etching
2024-Present Apprenticeship Stone Carving. Vermillion, OH
- Learning classical European techniques for stone carving and masonry
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 workshops to learn about portraiture and meet renown figurative artists
2019 Understudied Nationally Acclaimed Sculptor. Cleveland, Ohio
- learned techniques for classical figurative sculpture using oil based clay for bronze
2005 Understudied National Portrait Artist. Cleveland, Ohio
- Learned techniques for charcoal and pastel for realistic portrait drawings
RESIDENCIES:
2023 Château d'Orquevaux, Orquevaux, Champagne, France
2026 Scuola Internazionale Di Grafica Venezia. Venice, Italy
GALLERIES & COLLECTIONS:
2024 Poets & Artists, 33 Contemporary. Palm Beach, FL
2024 Makeshift Museum. Los Angeles, CA
2023 Virgil Catherine Gallery. Chicago, IL
2021 Art Unified. Venice, CA
2020 District Gallery. Cleveland, OH
*Various Private Collections