Kellie Leigh, PhD

Kellie completed qualifications in commercial art and then worked as a graphic designer as her first career step.  Her inspiration has always come from the bush, so she soon moved from the commercial world into environmental biology where she could pursue a career that contributed to conserving nature, as well as placing her in the ideal environment to explore and develop her art.

A brief trip to Africa turned into ten years in Zambia, where Kellie founded a long-term conservation and research organisation (AWDC, see links) focused on conserving the endangered African wild dog and its habitat.

The first fundraising event for this conservation work was a highly successful solo exhibition of Kellie's paintings in Kirribili in Sydney, which provided the funds to initiate the project. Alongside full-time conservation work, Kellie completed several painting commissions per year and her work hangs in private collections internationally.

Kellie is now back home painting full-time and looking forward to exhibiting her work in Australia again.

Artist's Statement

“Science and art come from the same roots, they are both about focused observation and recording. With biology you record, analyse and interpret but through a carefully rationalised process. With art the observation is just as intense but you have the freedom to interpret through your personal perceptions and to communicate the way your subject has inspired you. I think both art and science have an important place in communicating the beauty and value of our environment. In my painting I strive to invoke an understanding of the impact of the subject, its essence or character, and I love the process of trying to achieve that.”

Brief CV:

• Certificate in Graphic Design, Randwick TAFE (1988-1990).
• Commercial Artist (1990-1992).
• Bsc (Hons) Environmental Biology, UTS, 1993-1996. Employed by NSW Environment Protection Authority 1996- 1997, plus freelance design work.
• Founded African Wild Dog Conservation (AWDC) in Zambia in 1998, Project Director through to 2007 (see www.awdczambia.org)
• Successful solo art exhibition, 1998, Kirribili, Sydney.
• Range of limited edition prints of paintings sold internationally.
• PhD in Conservation Biology, University of Sydney (2005) based on conservation work in Zambia.
• 2008 – Painting (almost) full-time, Trustee for AWDC.
  • Exhibited; Blue Mountains Art Company exhibition at NSW Parliament House.
  • Short-listed and exhibited in Mt Buller Art Prize in Victoria
  • Solo exhibition North Sydney October 2008, see news page.

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