Leonard Gabriel (ESKFF at Mana Contemporary)

Leonard is a figurative artist whose focus is emotion expressed through the body language of the subject. He finds it interesting, fascinating in fact that the viewer can empathize emotional experience simply by observing body language. This emotive body language maybe the result of the interaction of the subjects or possibly a shared experience where each subject individually expresses emotion in their own particular way. Even in single subject portraiture he finds subjects express emotion through their posture. While creating, Leonard experiences emotion through expressive mark making which he finds has the power to evoke emotion. In his art Leonard explores this idea of expressed emotion through body language and/or mark making that has the power to create empathy in the viewer. Leonard wants the viewer to think; I know what that person is feeling, or I’ve been there before. Or even wonder, What is that person thinking? Leonard’s intent is to create an emotional experience in the viewer.