Opening Night... Jodee Knowles is a Friend of Leon.

- Friends of Leon Gallery Window -
by exhibiting artist Jodee Knowles

Are you going to  Friends of Leon Gallery for Jodee Knowles Opening Night 17th March 2011 6-8pm?

Perth Artist Jodee Knowles will showcase her latest works at Friends of Leon Gallery in Surry Hills Sydney. Knowles is one of the hottest emerging artists in Australia today having exhibited all over the world. This is Jodee's second show, 'Independent of Time', at Friends of Leon Gallery, and gallery owner & curator [and also artist] Leon Krasenstein couldn't be more pleased with Knowles second coming - so to speak!

Here's a smidgen of her stunning, surreal pieces... be quick as many of them have been sold already! The exhibition opening is this evening from 6-8pm at the Friends of Leon Gallery located in Sydney's inner city suburb at 82 Marlborough Street Surry Hills 2010. Look out for Jodee's work on Leon's Gallery windows - he always requests exhibiting artists to paint the front & side gallery windows making a real opening statement!

You Have Come to Mean to Me as
Little as Everyone Else. SOLD

Chole

Independent of Time . SOLD

If you're unable to make it this evening the Friends of Leon Gallery is open for public view on  Thursday 11-6pm, Friday 11-6pm and Saturday 11-2pm; or for another time & appointment with Leon please contact him on + 61 2 403 248 978.

Hope you can make it!

Enjoy,

all images courtesy of my friend, Leon - Friends of Leon Gallery

Friends Of Leon...Alexandra Lekias - Preview Exhibition Evening

Friends of Leon Gallery window - Leon Krasenstein
 [gallery owner/ curator] requests all artists who
exhibit at the gallery
 to create an artwork on the gallery window.



From the outside-in - Alexandra Lekias - LifeLong Baby Teeth,
the preview exhibition evening was packed!



The talented& very sweet artist herself, Alexandra Lekias
in front of some her amazing pieces from the 'LifeLong Baby Teeth' exhibit

Last week, Thursday evening, I was excited to attend a preview evening of  a very talented emerging artist - Alexandra Lekias' exhibition 'LifeLong Baby Teeth', at the fabulous Surry Hills gallery - Friends of Leon Gallery, owned and curated by the incredibly hospitable, attentive,  and gracious Leon Krasenstein..... Who opened the back part of his home & terrace garden to all exhibition attendees & patrons for delightful  mix of the artist's fave drink an inspired vodka, cranberry twist cocktail and cold 'Tiger beers', and happy festive crowded conversation. Here are a few pics I took of the gallery and the evening I wanted to share with you. Enjoy... 

Old friends & New friends made - at' Friends of Leon Gallery'

Leon's back terrace garden wall features an artwork from
a previous exhibiting artist

I love Leon's staircase living/ dining graphic
achromatic wallpaper feature teamed with large bulb
 pendant lighting- so striking.

The clever, suave & ever gracious Leon Krasenstein,
owner & curator of Friends of Leon Gallery

Window art frames looking
 into an exciting exhibition....

Images by Sarah Verity - Verandah Home+Garden Living Solutions

Happy Weekend!

Wow it's Friday & the Weekend is Here! It's been a whirlwind week, I have been on a 'secret mission' this week for a couple of things - and they have taken up a fair bit of time, I will reveal all very soon [maybe the New Year I will be able to]!! I am super glad it's coming to an end... Hence missing a few posts here & there!

But I did get some great shots from the 'Friends of Leon Gallery' exhibition that I promise to share with you, and I hope to have an exciting 'Friday Flowers' planned for next week - I just have to work out when I can visit this person & their beautiful store so I can post a special blog on it... Oh & also our dear friend[s] Carolyn [and her husband John] just had a darling little boy yesterday, who they named Frederick [Freddie for short], and we're looking forward to meeting him over the weekend. Welcome Freddie! So somewhere in there I caught my breath!

Thank You for visiting Palatial Living this week - I promise to bring you more Palatial things your way next week! Have a great weekend, Enjoy -

images via [1] visualize.us & [2] coastal living magazine

You Need to Know About... Alexandra Lekias.

If you haven't heard of Alexandra Lekias, self-taught colourful artist hailing from the West Coast, Perth WA,  then you will now... to be truthful I wasn't completely familiar with Lekias work prior to receiving an invite to the exhibition preview, but had seen  Lekias’ work furiously been blogged about through the past few weeks - viral word is such a phenomenon! But after closer inspection [and I am excited to get a real close-up this week!] appears as a fabulous fusion of [tres fashionable] sass, a deft master-skill with ink,  and a cheeky playfulness of luring the viewer into the work by what is an admiration for the sense of colour, movement and line - then to realise actually what subject matter is - they are looking at. That's a trifecta of clever, creative, cheek...

Her pieces are lashed with vivid splashes of colour mixed with black and white ink. Influences of the artists have been noted as to include 15th Century Iconic art, German Expressionist cinema, Japanese Manga as well as the works of Art Nouveau artist Aubrey Beardsley. Sans subject matter - to me is somewhat reminiscent of a favourite artist and UNSW CoFA Alumni, Del Kathryn Barton - who is a recent [2008] AGNSW Archibald Prize Winner - with the style & colour usage with her winning piece You are what is most beautiful about me, a self portrait with Kell and Arella.

I am really looking forward to be attending the 'Friends of Leon' preview this Thursday evening, where the exhibition will run till 5th December.
So importantly - if you're in Sydney get yourself to the 'Friends of Leon Gallery' - or if you visiting our fine city be sure to pop it on your gallery & exhibition list as a must see... 
- Enjoy -

An extract from CuratedMag.com

Friends of Leon Gallery shares word on their upcoming exhibition, “Alexandra Lekias is one of the most exciting artists we have seen. A hidden artistic jewel from Perth who is going to make her mark on the contemporary illustration world. Her November 18th show Lifelong Baby Teeth is set to be one of our biggest and most visual arresting exhibitions to date. ”

Lekias, an illustrator of great precision, melds water color with fine line ink drawing to produce richly symbolic narratives. Much of her work focuses on female figures, her interest in adolescence apparent and her consistency of color tying the greater body of work together.

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Get To - Friends of Leon Gallery

82 Marlborough Street Surry Hills 2010 NSW [Australia]

A preview of the exhibition, which opens on November 18, 2010, follows.

For more visit Friends of Leon, via their website HERE.

Images via Curated mag.com & trend hunter