Leslie Franklin works

Working mainly in alcohol ink, watercolour, and encaustic, Leslie combines elements of realism with free flowing, non-traditional colour producing expressive unconventional results.  The vibrancy and fluidity of alcohol inks enable her to maintain a loose style while still capturing the essence of the subject.  While no subject matter is off limits, her depiction of domestic animals and wildlife make up a large percentage of her pieces. She hopes their visual impact will bring a state of mindfulness of the existence of these species and by extension the importance of humane treatment and habitat preservation.

Leslie Franklin is an award winning Manitoba artist. Raised with an appreciation for nature and wildlife, the early exposure to Canada’s varied landscape has provided Leslie with a broad comfort zone of subject matter from which to choose.

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Winnipeg and has augmented her artistic learning by targeting areas and artists that interest her. She continues to study Fine Arts at the University of Manitoba and has a certificate in Composite Drawing for Law Enforcement through Stuart Parkes Forensic Associates in Idaho.  She has studied watercolour under renowned artists Alvaro Castagnet, Jean Haines, Ken Hosmer and John Lovett.

Leslie has been exhibiting and selling her art for over 30 years in art galleries and juried shows across Canada and the United States. Her first solo show was held at Eaton's Gallery of Fine Art at the age of 21followed by The World of Interiors UK, Oh West Canada of the Imago Mundi Project Her work has been published in Italy, Galleries West, and Pulse of the Prairies.  Corporate collections have included The Canola Council of Canada, The City of Winnipeg, The University of Manitoba, Great West Life Assurance and the Consulate of the Netherlands.  She is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Manitoba Society of Artists, The Northern Plains Watercolour Society and the Assiniboia Group of Artists.

Her work is carried at Pulse Gallery in Winnipeg and the Webster Gallery in Calgary.