Artist of the day, May 2, 2020: Leszek Sokol, a Polish painter (#984)

Leszek Sokol (1955) was born in Warsaw and has been a professional artist for 30 years. He graduated from the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts where he focused on interior design and graphic art. His passion for painting, however, eventually overruled his other artistic interests. His voyage of discovery of his own personal creative path has always been inspired by paintings from the European artists of the 14th to 17th centuries. His fascination with the 17th-century paintings of the Dutch masters led him initially to paint still life compositions in the Dutch style. However, his constant study of the techniques of the old masters, in general, led his more recent years to become completely entranced with the figurative works of the early Italian Renaissance, the influence of which can so readily be seen in this current bodywork.

His paintings are characterized by asymmetrical compositions, elongated figures, and simple but monumental use of line. With a palette of richest, color-drenched burgundies, gold, greens and russets, Sokol places his elongated figures in surreal, enchanted landscapes that are physical interpretations of a dream world. His immediately recognizable figures float, fly, swing, and dance-carefree embodiments of emotions and desires in a joyous, magical, romantic world. The paintings encourage the viewer to return to, and make the most of, playful, unburdened, lighthearted times when laughter, love, and affection rule.

In 2005, Sokol receives a significant grant from Poland's Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Since 1985, Leszek Sokol has been honored with 10 solo exhibitions in Poland, Germany, the USA, and has been represented in more than 30 group shows in museums, arts institutions, and galleries throughout Poland, Germany, Italy, France, USA, and Japan. In recent years Sokol has established an enthusiastic base of collectors through The Miller Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

© 2020. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Leszek Sokol. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only

Between us

Dream

Freedom love

Musicians

Spring Evening

Vacations

Sunday Angels

My Angels

Dreams

Cadillac Joy Ride

A walk in the park

Chase me, chase me, catch me

Intermission

Note

Swings of our emotions

Zeppelin Adventures

We see

The Magician

Oh! How we danced

Love Declared

Five o'clock

All that Jazz

An Evening Affair

Don Quixote

Between Heaven, Earth, and Wind

Fleeting Romance

Love duo

One evening in July

The World is our Oyster

There is Jazz

Paris sleeps, Emotions fly

Making spring

Music Lesson