Leo, is a Toronto born painter who is active in oils, as well as oil pastels. Most of his works have been brought about on location (plein air) or occasionally executed in the studio, based on site sketches. He is an active cyclist and often endeavors by these means to explore and unearth hidden gems of subject matter within the cities core, while on his painting excursions. Bicycling to him, provides a raw exposure to the elements, both on route and on site, which further provides the close at hand intimacy of the environment, which is so desired to paint the feeling of what is there as he sees it.
He is particularly drawn to depicting many of the cities older utilitarian design industrial buildings or everyday scenes of a more gritty nature, which are often in a state of semi decay. Interestingly, many of his works depict the familiar automobile; either on route, parked lawfully or unlawfully or any place they can squeeze-in for that matter. Who after all, can deny the reality of their presence and hence, their worthiness as subject matter for a painter who desires to express the authenticity of our urban existence?
Few of the scenes in his paintings represent architectural or design gems but their often bleak features seem to still have an attraction, if only because they often seem to project a strong raw statement.
