Ken Leslie Exhibit at Governor’s Gallery

June 2, 2011

“Artistic Cycles,” an exhibit of work by Johnson State College Fine Arts Professor Ken Leslie of Hardwick, is on display in the Governor’s Gallery of the Pavilion Office Building in Montpelier through Saturday, July 30. The artist will host an opening reception from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 23.

Leslie is a well-known artist who exhibits and lectures internationally. His signature creations are doughnut-shaped, narrative paintings focusing on light and the way it changes over seasons. Since 2005, Leslie has travelled three times to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, 800 miles above the Arctic Circle, “to paint light.” With a grant from the Vermont Arts Endowment Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation and the help of Johnson State College, he explored and painted throughout the summer with 24-hour daylight, then returned for six weeks of polar night. He has amassed an extensive collection of work from this journeys.

In addition to his paintings, also on exhibit in Montpelier will be Leslie’s one-of-a-kind artist books, which include writings on a variety of themes, including”our place in the universe, a layman’s theory of relativity, the battle between nature and technology, and light and dark on or above the Arctic Circle,” he says.

The Governor’s Gallery is located on the fifth floor of the Pavilion Office Building at 109 State St. in Montpelier. It is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A photo ID is required for admission.