Brigitte Leonard

Painting, more than a passion... an evidence, a refuge.

I remember, as a child, watching my father draw and paint, I remember the waltz of his brushes on my school notebooks... I was in awe, I was proud, I wanted to do like him... So, very quickly, I made my first drawings, first in pencil, then in ink and gouache which I used very diluted like watercolor.

My life went on, I worked, I got married, I had three children. But always, at different times, I felt the need to come back to painting, it has always been my home base, more than a need, something that I had in me and that was always there. So, when I retired twelve years ago, I started to paint even more, always more... obviously. Self-taught, I sought to improve myself, first by being part of an artists' studio in my small Ardennes village, then by seeking advice on the Internet, and above all... by painting more every day, until to forget the time often.

For me, painting is first of all giving a part of myself to those around me, who live with me, who encourage me and who leave with a painting under their arm; it is a constantly renewed challenge so that my works are alive, so that they speak for themselves, so that they are touching, so that they are true. It's finding the brush stroke that will make the difference.

Exhibitions carried out:

Collective exhibitions with the association "Painting-Passion" in Floing 08200, the last of which in April 2018.

November 2016: Participation in the “Prix de la ville de Revin (Ardennes)”.

May 2017: Participation in the “Prix de la ville de Revin (Ardennes)”.

Public Prize for my painting "Brassens".

May 2018: Participation in the “Prix de la ville de Revin (Ardennes)”.

Standout:

September 2018: Collective exhibition with the association "Painting-Passion" at the Gallery "Parc Rocheteau" in Revin.

April 2019: Collective exhibition during the 24th Art Festival at the "La Glycine" Gallery in Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium.

April 2019: Collective exhibition with the association “Painting-Passion” at the Gallery “Le Caveau”, in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes).

May 2019: Participation in the "Prix de la ville de Revin".

1st oil prize awarded to my painting “Charge de Cuirassiers”.

June 2019: Collective exhibition with the association "Painting-Passion", at the cultural center Le Lac, in Sedan (Ardennes).

September 2019: Personal exhibition at the “Galerie de Bretagne”, in Bouillon, Belgium.

September 2019: Exhibition, with some friends, in Matton-Clémency (Ardennes).

September 2019: Collective exhibition during the "21st Biennale des Arts" in Asfeld (Ardennes).

February 2020: Guest Artist at Deville (Ardennes) for the contemporary fair "Devil'ART-Dennes 2020.

City Prize for my exhibited works (Ardennes).

From June 26 to July 29, 2020: Personal exhibition at the "La Glycine" gallery in Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium.

April 2021: Group exhibition at the “La Glycine” gallery in Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium.

September 2021: 22nd Biennale des Arts exhibition, Asfeld, (Ardennes).

April 2022: Group exhibition at the “La Glycine” gallery in Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium.

April 2022: Exhibition "Vie d'Artisme", during autism awareness day, in Rocroi (Ardennes). Donation of 2 works produced for the EPAJ association.

May 2022: Exhibition during “Les Arts en fête”, in Rethel (Ardennes).

May 2022: Exhibition at the Contemporary Devil'ART-Dennes Fair, in Deville (Ardennes). Coup de Coeur prize for “Me, Anayah”, “Celestial Euphony”, “Solo” and “Café de Flore”.

From May 27 to June 2, 2022: Personal exhibition at the “Le Caveau” gallery, in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes).

June 5, 2022: Participation in "Vresse, Village d'Arts", where we were around fifty painters painting in the streets of the village, Belgium.

August 2022: Art and Crafts Exhibition, Bertrix, Belgium.

October 2022: Exhibition in Margy, Ardennes (works exhibited in the village church).