JOHN DI LEONARDO
John Di Leonardo (b. 1953, Pescina, Italy) is a Canadian artist/poet whose current practice explores questions of the nude image as a contentious landscape in the history of Canadian art, and how its tradition as object of desire and shame informs the trajectory of our social constructs, values and identity. His current studio practice, the Decameron series, asks us to consider images of beauty and hope as an antidote to the current anxiety from a prolonged pandemic isolation. The works reference Covid, literature, technology, and art history in order to express some optimism into our current pandemic narratives. Through formal compositions, subtle values, and use of linear clarity his works oscillate between realism and abstraction.
JOHN DI LEONARDO
CV
1953 Born in Italy
1964 Emigrated to Canada
EDUCATION
1969-1972 Dundas Valley School of art, Life Drawing, Dundas, ON
1973-1977 Hon, BFA, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
1978-1979 B.Ed., University of Toronto, ON
1983-1986 OCAD, Life drawing, Toronto, ON
SELECTED AWARDS
2018 Canada Council Arts Grant/Exhibition.
2018. RMG Residency/Exhibition; (June to September) Oshawa, ON
1984 MacMaster University Museum Purchase, 1980, Hamilton, ON
1978 W.A.A.C. Art Scholarship, Bursary to study art, Toronto, ON
1977 Eagle Northright, Canadian Art Competition. Bursary to study art, Hamilton, ON
FAIRS
2024 TOAF 63 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Juried Online Exhibition
2022 TOAF 61 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Juried Online Exhibition
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 "MIRROR / MIRROR" The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Gallery A, Oshawa, ON
2012 "Book of Hours: Placebo" Whitby Public Library, Whitby, ON
2012 "Book of Hours: Placebo" Art on the Mezzanine, (VAC) Bowmanville, ON
2011 "Book of Hours: Family Is" Art on the mezzanine, (VAC) Bowmanville ON
2010 "Book of Hours: Man Is" Whitby Public Library, Whitby, ON
2009 "Book of Hours: Progress Is" Whitby Public Library, Whitby ON
2008 "Book of Hours: Canada Is" Whitby Public Library, Whitby, ON
1988 "Ground Zero II" Northrop Fry Hall, University of Toronto, ON
1987 "Ground Zero I" Gallery 306, (80 Spadina), Toronto, ON
1983 "Innocence & Experience" St Lawrence Centre Art Gallery, Toronto, ON
1982 "Love & Stuff" Mandeville Gallery, Toronto, ON
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Station Gallery, Life’s Moods, Juried Exhibition, December, Whitby, ON
2023 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Cultural Expressions, October, Juried Exhibition, Oshawa, ON
2023 Station Gallery, Drawing for Art, September, Whitby ON
2023 Oshawa Little Theatre, Calendar Girls Exhibition, Oshawa, ON
2023 Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery, O.A.A. 55th Annual Juried Exhibition, Oshawa, ON
2022 Station Gallery, Drawing for Art, September, Whitby, ON
2022 Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery, Seniors Juried Exhibition, Oshawa, ON
2022 Station Gallery, 30th Annual Juried Exhibition.
2022 TOAF (Toronto Outdoor Art Fair) “Above & Beyond, ” (Online) Curated Collection by Farnoosh Talaee.
2022 John B Aird Gallery: Drawing Selection 2022, Annual Juried Exhibition
2021 Station Gallery, 29th Annual Juried Exhibition.
2021 Pine Ridge Arts Council, Allan Artist's, Facebook, January.
2020 Station Gallery, "Dream-logic," Juried Exhibition, Dec.2020-21.
2019 Station Gallery, "Encounters" 27th Juried Exhibition.
2019 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, O.A.A. 51st Juried Exhibition, ON
2019 Station Gallery, "Perfect Moment," 26th Juried Exhibition.
2018 VAC, 38th Annual Juried Exhibition, Clarington, ON
2018 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, O.A.A. 50th Juried Art Exhibition, ON
2018 Gallery 67, "Figure & Still Life," O.A.A., Oshawa, ON
2018 Station Gallery, "One with Everything," 25th Juried Exhibition.
2017 Gallery 67, "Summerlicious" Oshawa Art Association, ON
2017 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, "OAA 49th Juried Exhibition" Oshawa.
2017 Station Gallery, "Glimpse" Juried Exhibition, Whitby, ON
2016 Station Gallery, "High School Confidential" Whitby, ON Canada
2016 Station Gallery, "Secret World," Whitby, ON
2015 Station Gallery, "Slice of Life" Juried Exhibition, Whitby, ON
2014 Station Gallery, "Drawing for Art," Whitby, ON
2013 Oshawa City Hall, Art & History Committee Selection, ON
2013 Station Gallery, "Drawing for Art" Whitby, ON
2012 The Station Gallery, "SHIFT" Juried Exhibition" Whitby, ON
2012 The Station Gallery, "Reading The Image" Group Show, Whitby, ON
2011 The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, "Juried Exhibition" Oshawa, ON
2007 The Station Gallery, "Juried Exhibition" Whitby, ON
2006 The Station Gallery, Juried Exhibition: Subject Matter, Whitby , ON
1997 Mandeville Gallery, "Group Exhibition" Toronto, ON
1994 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, "Juried Exhibition" Oshawa, ON
1993 Mandeville Gallery, Group Exhibition, Toronto, ON
1993 Art Gallery of Ontario, "Rentals" Toronto, ON
1992 Robert McLaughlin Gallery, "Juried Exhibition" Oshawa, ON
1991 Joseph D. Carrier Gallery, "Lyrical Perspectives" Toronto, ON
1989 Art Gallery of Hamilton, "Rentals" Hamilton, ON
1989 Art Dialogue Gallery, "Gallery Artists" Toronto, ON
1983 First Canadian Place, "Remy Martin National Competition" Toronto, ON
1981 McMaster University, Art Gallery, "Alumni Exhibition"Hamilton, ON
1978 OISE Art Gallery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
PRESS:
2020 The Ekphrastic Review Magazine, (Interview)Oct. 2020, Special Showcase: John Di Leonardo, Artist and Ekphrastic Poet.
2020 ArtScene Magazine, (Interview) March & April Issue, PineRidge Arts/Allan's Artists,2020.
2020 Devour: Art & Lit Canada, John Di Leonardo/Artist Profile, Issue 004, 2020.
2019 Kites Without Strings: Blog Interview/ Debbie Okun Hill, Feb. 24, 2019
2018 RMG Blog Interview: Interview with Art Lab artist John Di Leonardo, June 5, 2018.
2017 The Ted Plantos Memorial Award Review: By John B. Lee, The Ontario Poetry Society, suite of ten poems.
2017 OAA-Oshawa Art Association: Member Profile of the Month - July -
2013 Surfacing Arts Magazine, "Artist Profile", Winter Issue, Pg. 10, Durham Region, ON
2013 “Crossing Baldwin” Brooklin Poetry Society Anthology, John Di Leonardo, Compiler & Editor.Brooklin, ON
2013 The Citizen Newspaper, Brooklin, "Poetry Profile Interview" Parvaneh Pessian, Oct. 18, Brooklin, ON
2012 "Key Artist Interview" Saira Knowles, Station Gallery, Whitby, ON
2012 Whitby This Week, Artspace on the Mezzanine, "Exhibition Article" Oct. 19, Bowmanville, ON
2010 Arts Forum Magazine, B. McIlwain, “Interview with a Canadian artist” May Issue, Durham Region, ON
2009 The Brooklin Town Cryer Newspaper, Nov. 20, Exhibition Article, Brooklin, ON
2008 The Brooklin Town Cryer Newspaper, March 28, "Article" Pg. 4 Brooklin ON
1990 "Lyrical Perspectives,” Exhibition Review, Flavio Belli, Pg. 4, J.D.Carrier Art Gallery, Toronto, ON
1991 The Catholic Register, Feature Page Article, Tonia Desiato, June 29, Page 7, Toronto, ON
1982 The Scarborough Mirror, "Exhibition Article," Mohemmad Syed, Feb. 3, Scarborough, ON
1982 Markham-Unionville Times, "Markham Focus: Article" Angela Piper, Oct 20, Markham, ON