Leigh Partington
Art in many aspects has always been a major part of my life - I started creating when I was 5 years old drawing from my imagination and working with clay under the instruction of “Miss Betty” whose daughter and friend of mine, Raya Bodnarchuk was the late distinguished painter, sculptor and professor emeritus at the Corcoran. I attended the Rhode Island School of Design and finished my studies at Western Maryland College (now known as McDaniel College) majoring in Fine Arts. I began teaching children as an independent contractor over 30 years ago and presently teach art classes for children and young adults at the Arts Barn in the Kentlands and ceramic hand-building at my home studio, Playin’ In the Mud in Washington Grove. I have taught art classes for the Community Support Services (CSS) special needs youth at the Blackrock Center for the Arts and art workshops for seniors with early dementia at the Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA) Kensington Club. I enjoy working with people of all ages and sharing my ideas. I get inspired by my students and learn just as much or more from them - as I tell all of my students, “imagination is the limit!”
My ceramic work conveys my love of nature - floral and fauna, in many aspects. I incorporate my illustrations on slab forms and tiles and create sculpted forms with mixed clay bodies and oxide stains.
I work in oil, acrylics, gouache paint, charcoal, pencil, colored pencil and mixed media in my 2D studio. My main interests are portraiture, figure drawing and stylized illustrations.
I illustrated a children’s book titled The Pumpkin Man written by Lin Butler and I am one of several artists in my town of Washington Grove that helped refurbish our unique wooden road signs with local wildlife illustrations.
I was with the Montgomery Potters for many years and have been involved with the Art League of Germantown for 21 years. I’ve also been creating with the Hood Portraiture Group and am a member of Gaithersburg Artists Collective, a Co-op of local artists. I like being part of a multi-talented group of people working in different mediums and sharing different ideas and techniques.
I show and sell my work through ALOG, Arts Barn, Something Earthy Gallery, AOM Gallery and private commissions.
