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Jim Leedy has shown his work
in a variety of media in more than 100 major exhibitions throughout
the U.S. and abroad, including solo exhibitions in New York and
at 11 museums in Europe. Leedy's exhibitions include solo shows
at the American Craft Museum in New York, the Kohler Arts Center
in Wisconsin, the University of Kansas in Lawrence and a large installation
at the International Arts Exposition in Chicago.
Widely considered the "father of the Crossroads Arts District" in
downtown Kansas City, Leedy was one of only two Americans invited to
participate in the largest surrealist exhibitions ever assembled at
the Retretti Art Center in Suomi, Finland. The exhibition began with
Miro, Dali, and DuChamp, and culminated with several examples of Leedy's
work. At the same time, he created a major installation in Pori, Finland,
for the Pori International Jazz Festival. In addition, he was commissioned
by the city of Himeji, Japan, to create a large clay mural for its
new city hall. Public collections include the Museum of Modern Art,
the Johnson Wax Collection; the American Crafts Museum; and the Nelson-Atkins
Museum of Art in Kansas City.
Leedy has appeared as a visiting artist, lecturer and concert musician
at colleges and universities and at special events in the U.S. and
abroad. His innovative use of clay in the 1950s and 1960s established
him as a leader in ceramic sculpture. His continued experimentation
with materials has resulted in cloth sculptures the size of football
fields flying atop skyscrapers. In 1994, he was chosen to represent
the United States in museum exhibitions in Norway, in celebration of
the Winter Olympics. His awards and grants include the Louis Comfort
Tiffany Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council and the National Endowment
for the Arts.
Leedy holds a B.F.A. degree from R.P.I. of William and Mary; a master's
degree in art history from Michigan State University; an M.F.A. degree
from Southern Illinois University; and studied on the postgraduate
level at Columbia University and Ohio State University.
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