Artist Biography

Leslie works in a variety of media, drawing on her interests in pattern, language, and textile practices from around the world. She became interested in exploring the visual possibilities offered by the structure, sounds, and shapes of language after earning degrees in Spanish literature and linguistics from UCLA. Leslie subsequently completed a BFA in painting at the Massachusetts College of Art and an MFA in fibers from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University. Her work has been exhibited widely, with exhibitions at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, The Noyes Museum of Art, Rowan University Art Gallery, and, in Providence, at AS220 and the Chazan Gallery.  She has been awarded several fellowships, including a Career Development Fellowship from the Center for Emerging Visual Artists in Philadelphia and a Mid-Atlantic Long Term Health Care Artist Fellowship. Leslie has taught at Tyler School of Art, and has led workshops in a variety of settings, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and RISD’s Continuing Education program. Leslie lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island.

Artist Statement

My work draws on my interests in pattern, language, texts, and textiles.  I enjoy exploring the poetic possibilities of grammar—its structures, shapes, sounds, and the way they support meaning. As evidenced in their common roots, texts and textiles share many metaphors and have proven to be a rich field of inquiry for me. Thread, paper tags, the handwritten word, and hand weaving provide many of the formal elements of my work.

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Note: All photos by the artist except as noted on individual images.

All work © Leslie Atik