Leslie with her Giving Tree model.
The Giving Tree model - be careful it's hot!
One of the things I really loved about being at Penland was visiting the other workshops and meeting artists in different mediums and from diverse backgrounds.
It's no surprise that there were more women than men at Penland - we dominate the craft field! And I met so many amazing, talented and driven women. Leslie Tharp is one of them. She is a sculptor from Gainesville, Florida (an alumni of University of Florida - a fellow Gator!). Leslie has this infectious and happy spirit, I really enjoyed hanging out with her - especially watching her in sculptor action.
Leslie has a commission for the city of Gainesville to create a sculpture for the Senior Recreation Center. Her sculpture is called the Giving Tree. It is quite beautiful and elegant. I was really excited to see her model and designs for the bench.
Not only is Leslie busy working on her commissions she also has a brilliant side project called The After School Project. It's a group of emerging artists, recently graduated from fine art schools, from all kinds of mediums that meet to help each other develop in the field, share practices and create a community that fosters growth and knowledge. The concept and idea is wonderful because when you graduate you lose a bit of that community that art school provides. Hopefully I can find a group like hers when I graduate - or maybe even form my own!
I have a feeling I'll be seeing Leslie soon, the group of women I bonded with at Penland made a pack to have a reunion, at Penland or inbetween states.
Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks for reading!
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