Leonie’s painting began in 1996 towards the end of a 10 year sojourn of working and living in Paris. She had initially gone there to study Flute after previously graduating from the NSW Conservatorium of Music in Sydney. She painted under the tutelage of Roland Laforcade and his wife Christine in their atelier in Paris and in return she gave them music lessons.
Upon returning to Sydney Leonie enrolled in several courses in life drawing, oil painting and watercolour painting. She also studied drawing at Seaforth TAFE with Anthony Cahill, part-time, for 2 years. Professional artist friends, whom she had met in Sydney encouraged her to continue and further her painting practice which first culminated in being part of group shows at the Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, and Arts Centre in Gymea, NSW, in 2000 and 2001. Since then, Leonie has had several solo shows in Sydney at the Mary Place Gallery in Paddington, and at the Sheffer Gallery in Darlington, Sydney. She has also been in several group shows, the most recent one being held by Defiance Gallery in Sydney in 2018 called, “Boat Smoke Bowl”. She also had a special release in March 2022 for Michael Reid Northern Beaches, and was selected for the “ACB Selects” show in December 2022.
“I love painting objects that I am drawn to, and creating a certain atmosphere through their arrangement and colour. The painting is made directly from life in my studio using artificial lighting on the set up, and darkening the rest of the room. I draw upon the tonal realist techniques, the basis of my painting, a process that I find very grounding and satisfying in itself.” – Leonie Khoury
