The paintings of
Leonard Wren exude his sincere joy for life and for
the beauty of the world around him. Finding infinite
inspiration in the everyday world, Leonard paints
intimate scenes with grace and eloquence. He is able
to convey the subtle splendor in scenes often
overlooked by others. Leonard states, “It’s the duty
of the artist to bring out the beauty of the
simplest scene.”
As an Impressionist, Wren is intrigued by
relationships of light and color. He goes directly
to the outdoors to get the truth. As a plein air
painter he must move quickly to eternalize on canvas
his impression of the fleeting moment. By skillfully
placing colors side by side allowing them to blend
optically, he is able to capture light, color,
atmosphere, and the illusion of depth exceptionally
well. By observing life and light through live
molecules of air, he is able to give even the
stillest days a subtle sense of movement. His
paintings are full of color and life, having a sense
of controlled spontaneity and liveliness in his
brushwork. In essence they are a reflection of him.
In addition to painting the beauty of the American
landscape, Leonard enjoys traveling to new places to
find inspiration. His journeys take him to locales
such as Italy, France, Spain, and Jamaica. He is
also intrigued with the wonderful light and variety
in the landscape of Washington State, which recently
became the site of his new studio. The Studio was
designed as an aesthetic workspace, gallery and
living area combined. It's an early 1900's shingle
style design with European influences.
When Wren discovered Impressionism, specifically the
work of Monet, he “began to see in a totally new
way.” Despite having a young family to support,
Leonard decided to pursue a career as an artist. He
sought out a teacher who could help him learn to
paint light and color, and every week for a year
traveled from his home in Tulsa to Oklahoma City to
study with Richard and Edith Goetz.
He quickly reached a point in his career where he
was able to concentrate his efforts on his love of
painting. In 1976, about a year after he began
painting, Leonard closed his commercial design
business, which he had owned and operated since
1964. After just a few years of painting, his
inherent ability positioned Leonard as one of the
leading American Impressionists.
Leonard’s style and choices of subjects allow the
viewer to relate to the paintings. Rather than
rendering a detailed depiction of a scene, his loose
interpretive brushwork conveys a peaceful moment in
time. He leaves the detail to be interpreted by the
individual viewer, thus creating a familiarity to
his work. In addition, by including evidence of
human existence in the landscape such as a quaint
cottage, an old bicycle, a sidewalk café, or a path
through a quiet garden, his paintings invite the
viewer to participate in the narrative. They are
quiet intimate moments, movingly expressive, which
“provide relief from the complexities of life.”
To truly create a masterful painting, one must paint
what one knows and feels. To truly create fine works
of art, the approach must be a pure representation
of the artist’s ideas or emotions. Because Leonard
spends so much time painting outdoors, he has become
very comfortable and knowledgeable about the world
around him. Finding beauty and inspiration virtually
everywhere, Wren is able to communicate what moves
him. Art purely and simply reveals his love of life.
Leonard says, “Sharing joy is what it’s all about.”
Leonard spends his time with his wife of 40 years,
Roberta, their grandson Wren Millard, Bob the cat
and their two pigmy goats, Malcolm & April. |
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Light of Provence
30 x 40 |
Tuscan Gold
24 x 48 |
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Lake Como Coastline
8 x 16 |
Lake Como
20 x 24 |
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Cottage of Roses
30 x 24 |
Lake Como Vista
24 x 36 |
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Burgundy Afternoon
40 x 30 |
Shop Monterossa
30 x 24 |
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October Harvest
36 x 36 |
Menaggio
40 x 30 |
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Tuscan Villa
24 x 36 |
Monterossa
24 x 20 |
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Sunset at Nice
30 x 40 |
Tuscan Light
24 x 48 |
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View From Bellagio
12 x 16 |
Lake Como Villa
20 x 24 |
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Tuscan Villa
24 x 36 |
Farmhouse in Burgundy 36 x 48 |
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