Steve Leadenham is a Sydney-based artist specialising in transport subjects. He paints in oils and acrylics on canvas. He was brought up in Doncaster, South Yorkshire (England) and while attending the local grammar school was encouraged to undertake a number of short courses at Doncaster School of Art including life drawing and mixed media classes.
Steve pursued a career in the rail transport industry in Yorkshire and London during the 1970s, finding time to produce the occasional painting. In 1980, he married and emigrated to Australia to continue his logistics career in the transport and electrical engineering industries.
This artist maintains that he has always had the same basic interests.
“I remember having my train paintings posted on the classroom wall in primary school,” he reflects. “I won a prize of Adrian Hill’s ‘Watercolour Painting’ book for primary school artwork.”
In the last seven years Steve has produced an increasing number of paintings – many of which are in the possession of collectors and corporate clients in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and the United States.
His association with aviation photographer Sam Chui led to three paintings being displayed at the Airliners International 2003 convention in Columbus, Ohio in July of that year; and his work was selected by Brunel Promotions for publication in a transport calendar in the UK in 2005.
In 2004, Steve held his first solo exhibition at the Qantas Founders Museum at Longreach, Queensland. The following year he joined fellow aviation artists Nikyla Amanda Smith and Juanita Franzi in an exhibition entitled ‘Aerial Artistry’ at the same venue. He returned for a further solo exhibition in September 2006.
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Denne historien er fra No 168-utgaven av Artists Palette.
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Eye of Observation
Draw, draw, and draw some more; develop your artist’s eye of observation. Sterling advice from a lady who believes that seeing shapes in paintings requires a truly ‘arty’ eye.
Pelicans To Portraits
This lady has painted everything from pelicans to portraits. She has completed commissions including cats, dogs, horses, possums, numerous beach scenes … and even a Scottish piper.
Gregory John Brennan: Lost Profession
Looking back on his early career as a bulldozer driver, this rural New South Wales painter laments the days when he was too young to appreciate his outstanding potential as an artist.
Pastels: Once We Were Important
A simplified and well named painting tells a powerful and interesting story. This clever pastel artist is delighted to share her techniques for the benefit of others.
Fibre Art
This artist feels that the hardest lesson she had to learn was to believe in herself … and once she did that, everything started to fall into place and her confidence grew.
Water Lily Magic
Instead of paper and paint, this artist uses fabric and threads … and she uses a sewing machine instead of a brush. The textures, colours and prints of fabrics thrown together with threads fascinate her, and often give inspiration for her designs.
Loading Wheat – 1920s
It is rare to see an artist displaying this level of skill and understanding in capturing the activity and atmosphere of bygone days from Australia’s agricultural history.
‘Jama' – King Cheetah
This exquisitely talented lady believes that every artist has failures … but it is important to remember that every success is better than the one before.
Blahuta's Ute
Early in the year we ran a feature about ‘Utes in the Paddock’ – a landmark project by several notable artists. In this article, one of those artists shares his story and some of his views … and describes the process of creating his own piece of an amazing collaborative work.
Artists' Easels
Many important tools are employed by artists in creating their paintings. Artists’ easels are now available in a host of styles and configurations to enhance the creative process. Some of your favourite art materials suppliers are more than pleased to highlight a selection of the many products being offered.