EDUCATION
1989-1991 Master of Fine Art. Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
1985-1988 Bachelor of Fine Art. University of North Texas, Denton, TX.
SELECTED SOLO/TWO PERSON/PERFORMANCE
2024 Unexpected Narratives, Performance/Collaboration, Alma Gallery, Chicago, IL
2023 Absurdity:In DaDa We Trust Exhibition/ Performance, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL
2021 Sandra Leonard: Unexpected Narratives With Flora and Fauna”, Solo Exhibition, Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL
2020 Sandra Leonard: Elements of the Imagination, Solo Exhibit, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago IL
2017 Wandering Bird , Performance, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL
2016 Structure, Two Person Show, Down Gallery, Michigan City, IN.
2015 Exploring Marie Antoinette, Alternative Fashion Show, Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago,IL
2014 Crossing Into Dream, Surrealist Fashion Show and Performance. Featured Artist & Event Chicago Artist Month
Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
2001 Functional Distortions, Solo Exhibition/Performance, Fuzz Gallery, Rockford, Il
1995 Slack Belly, Performance, Around the Coyote Art Festival, Bop Shop, Chicago, IL
1994 Objects at an Exhibition, Environments with Fashion, Performance, Tough Gallery, Chicago, IL
The Land of Do As You Please, Performance, Around The Coyote Festival, Chicago, IL
992 Leonard/Colson, Two person exhibition, Space Gallery, Chicago, IL
Cie Eclipseodanse, Emergence Dance Theater, Paris, France
Annual Report 92, Emergence Dance Theater, DeKalb,IL
1991 Moon Ark, Performance, Emergence Dance Theater, DeKalb, IL
Paris Bon Voyage, Emergence Dance Theater, DeKalb, IL
1988 Sandra Leonard, Two Person Exhibition, Oak Street Gallery, Denton, Tx
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Windows to the Subconscious, Northern Illinois University Museum, DeKalb, IL
Spring Fling, Alma Gallery, Chicago, IL
2024 No Color, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Spring Fling, Alma Gallery, Chicago, IL
2023 Alma V, Alma Art and Interiors, Chicago, IL
Absurdity:In DADA We Trust, Highland Park Art Center, Highland Park, Il
2022 Threaded Together, Alma Art and Interiors, Chicago IL
2021 Materials Hard+ Soft International Exhibition, Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, Denton, TX
2019 Room To Move, Interactive Costumes, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2nd Midwest Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
Threads Of The Imagination, Ridge Historical Society, Chicago Il
2018 24 Evanston + Vicinity Biennial, Juror Award. Evanston Art Center, Evanston,IL
2017 50 x 50 Invitational/The Subject is Chicago: People, Places, Possibilities,
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
Chicago Artists Interpret American Literature, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago,IL
Wearable Expressions, 7th International Juried Exhibition, Palos Verdes Art Center,
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
2016 Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare, Addington Gallery, Chicago, Il
2015 Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare, Elmhurst Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Explore Marie Antoinette, Fashion Show, Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago, Il
2014 Temporal Belongings, Next Gallery, St. Charles, IL
2013 On-Somel, Fashion Show and Exhibit, Water Street Studio, Batavia, IL
2012 Jawa Chic, ZhouB Art Center, Chicago, IL
2011 Modus Union, Fashion Show, benefit for Fran Dresher’s Cancer Schmancer Foundation, Washington, DC
2010 Nouvelle Mode:Wearable Art for the Body Fashion Show, Best of Show, Textile Art Center, Chicago, IL
2009 Colson Truck Group, Featured Exhibition Chicago Artists Month, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL 2000 Wearable Art, Indiana Contemporary Art Museum, Ft Wayne, IN
1993 Quivering Line, Colson Truck Group, Moffit Street Gallery, Chicago,IL
1989 Absurd Art Show, Holmes Gallery, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
1988 Excellence 88, Texas Sculpture Association, Juror Richard Hunt, Dallas, Tx
New Talent One, D’Art Gallery, Dallas, Tx
Invitational Group Exhibition, Dishman Gallery, Beaumont, TX
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2024 Pshshshsh, Valeria Taransenko, Solo Exhibition, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
2023 Absurdity:In DaDa We Trust, co-curated Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
2015 Sur Papier: Anne Gilbert + Helene Dureau Martini, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
2009 3 Sculptures,co-curated, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL
AWARDS/RESIDENCIES
2025 Fellowship Vermont Studio Center Residency, Johnson, VT
2024 DCASE Grant recipient, Chicago, IL
2024 CPSLives Residency, Chicago,IL
2023 CPSLives Residency, Chicago,IL
2020 Juror Award, Evanston Biennial, Evanston Art Center, Evanston,IL
2014 Featured Artist for Chicago Artist Month, Chicago,IL
2010 Best of Show, Textile Art Center, Chicago,IL
PRESS/PODCAST
Porters Gulch Review, 40th Edition, Paintings featured, Aptos, CA, 2024
“Elements of the Imagination”, Matt McKinney, Podcast interview, Chicago, 2021
“Wandering Bird:Sandra Leonard”, PVAC, Aaron Sheppard, July 2020
“Sculpting with fabric: Beverly Artist Creates Wearables for Field Museum, Wearable Art that Challenges Traditional Ideas”, Chicago Tribune, Susan DeGrane,February 2020
“Meet Sandra Leonard”, Voyage Chicago, Roger Brown, June 2018
“Wild Costume Art Returns To Beverly Arts Center with Wandering Bird”,
DNAinfo, Howard Ludwig, November 2017
“Marie Antoinette Inspires Beverly Artist Ahead of Steppenwolf Fashion Show”, DNA info, Howard Ludwig,March 2015
“Best Surrealist Duo: Sal Campbell and Sandra Leonard, Southside Weekly, Elizabeth Bynum,October 2014
“Surrealist Fashion Show at Beverly Art Center”, DNA info, Howard Ludwig, September 2014
“The Quivering Line”, New Art Examiner. Mike Bulke,November 1993.
“Art Facts: Ten Friends Hanging Out at the Bop Shop”, Reader, Maryanne Johnson,December 1993
“5 festival de danse contemporne a Menilmontant”, L’AMI Du, Simmone Vidal, April 1992
DOCUMENTARY
“Our City, Our Shakespeare”, director Scott Silberstein, “Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare” participant, Emmy nominated, May 2011