The Art of Life

The Art of Life, inspired by Charles Wilson Peale's The Artist in His Museum in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, was created as the centerpiece of the artist’s solo exhibition, Leslie Adams: Drawn from Life, at the Toledo Museum of Art. This monumental drawing, not purely a self-portrait, but rather a visual autobiography, is more importantly, a personal thank you note to the people, places, and institutions that have shaped both her artistic career and her life. The work honors the artist’s family and pays homage to her teachers, mentors, and patrons. It weaves classical and Old Master references with a healthy dash of 20th and 21st century Pop Culture. From Michelangelo to Manet, from Winky to Warhol - this is the story of one artist and her journey. Yet, this portrait, however personal, reminds us always, to celebrate the hopes, aspirations, and dreams that we – as children and as adults - universally share.

Exhibitions

Awards