Leslie's profile
Leslie Shellow was born in Washington DC and currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland. Her work consists of collage and ink drawing on paper, printmaking, bookmaking and cut paper installation. In her youth, Leslie had the opportunity to spend many weekends on and around the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This early exploration in nature provided the foundation for her long-standing affinity for the outdoors.
Pulling her imagery from observations of nature, both in the visible world and through microscopes, Leslie addresses biological processes such as growth, decay and regeneration. Mold, lichen, corral, cells, viruses and bacteria are among the many natural elements that influence her work.
In 2019 Leslie was awarded the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award for Works on Paper, as well as, in 2016, 2013, and 2010. In 2017, she was selected as a Baker Artist Award Finalist and in 2015, a Sondheim Prize Semi-finalist.
In February 2018, Leslie spent 4 weeks at the Jentel Artist Residency in Sheridan, Wyoming, which led to her most recent solo exhibitions at the Gibbs Street Gallery at Vis Arts in Rockville, MD and the Greenbelt Community Center in Greenbelt, MD. Other notable contemporary art spaces in which Leslie’s work has been shown are The Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Loyola University of Maryland, Goucher College, the National Institute of Health, Carroll Square Gallery in Washington DC, and Arlington Arts Center and Greater Reston Art Center in Virginia.
She holds an MFA in Painting from Towson University, a BFA from The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and a BA in Education from the Evergreen State College. Leslie was an adjunct professor at MICA for 10 years and is currently a matting and framing contractor for the Department of Paper Conservation at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.
