Leslie studied at Norwich School of Art and West of England College of Art (now both universities) graduating in Sculpture.
It was in 2000, after 20 years in Ceramics, that a visit to Crest, Cromer’s twin town in southern France, prompted her to return to her first love, painting. Crest is encircled by what can in winter be the raging river Drome, the streets and buildings carved out of the high rocky promontory that had once been under the sea. Cromer, with its sea carved beaches, town of red tiled cottages made with flints from the seashore, and soft sandy cliffs, is still battling with that sea.
Leslie now paints, from the 1870s railway carriage in her garden, oil and acrylic studies of her beloved North Norfolk (she can trace her family back to the 16th century in North Norfolk, her father a keeper at Cromer Lighthouse, her great Grandfather a crewman on the lifeboat “Louisa Heartwell”) – delighting in light bouncing off rough or calm seas of Cromer or its wide sandy beaches. She adores the sun rippled beech trees of Felbrigg’s Great Wood and the wonderful vistas from the heights of Sheringham Park. Sunlight defining the space we live in. Sunlight giving hope and sustenance.
Her visit last summer to Cromer’s German twin town of Nidda hasn’t yet been marked in any painting, for she is still completely entranced by her stay in Berlin on the way home and hopes to portray her love of its spaciousness, its vivacity, its vast sunny views, its complete acceptance of modernity (the Government Main Building, the Chancery, looks more like an exciting giant sculpture than any office building)
She has exhibited at Wells Maltings Trust’s “Connections”, Norwich Castle’s “Heritage”, all NOVA’s exhibitions and every spring takes part in Open Studios. Her work is also in Canada, Spain, France, Germany and Austria.