SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2023 No Color, Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL.

2023 Absurdity: In DADA We Trust, Highland Park Art Center, Highland Park, IL

Absurdity: In DADA We Trust, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL

Alma V, Group Exhibition, Alma Art and Interiors, Chicago, IL

2022 Threaded Together, Alma Art and Interiors, Chicago, IL

2021 Sandra Leonard: Unexpected Narratives With Flora and Fauna, Solo exhibit at Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL

2021 Sandra Leonard: Elements Of The Imagination, Solo exhibit at Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL

2020 A Day In the Life of Slackbelly, performance, Chicago, IL

2020 Threads of the Imagination, Ridge Historic Society, Chicago, IL

2019 2nd Midwest Open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL

2019 Room To Move, interactive costumes celebrating the Bauhaus, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

2018   24 Evanston + VicinityBiennial, Juror Award , Evanston, IL

2017  Wandering Bird Performance, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL

2017  50 x 50 Invitational / The Subject is Chicago: People, Places, Possibilities, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL   

2017 Wearable Expressions: 7th International Juried  Exhibition, runway show and installation, Palos Verdes Art Center, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA    

2016 Structure, Down Gallery, Michigan City, IN

2016 Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare, Addington Gallery, Chicago, IL

2015  Explore Marie Antoinette, Juried Fashion Show, Steppenwolf Theater, Chicago, IL

2015 Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare, Elmhurst Museum, Elmhurst, IL 

2014 The Alliance, Pelar Gallery, Chicago, IL 

2014  Crossing into Dream, Surrealist Fashion Show/Performance, Chicago Artist Month Featured Artist, Beverly Art Center, Chicago

2014 Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL

2014 Bad Business, Paul Henry’s Art  Gallery, Hammond, IN 

2013 On-sombel” Fashion Show and Exhibit, Water Street Studio,  Batavia, IL 

2013 Temporal Belongings, Next Gallery, St. Charles, IL 

2012 JAWAchic show, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, IL 

2012 On-Som’bel, Fashion Show, Water Street Studios, Batavia, IL 

2012 ART19, Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL 

2011 Modus Union Exhibit, Fashion Show, benefit for Fran Dresher’s Cancer Schmancer Foundation, Washington, DC 

2009 Colson Truck Group Show, Beverly Art Center, Chicago, IL 

2009 Functional Distortions, One Person Show, Fuzz Gallery for Art Scene, Rockford, IL 

2009 Coyote Couture Fashion Show, Coyote Arts Festival, Chicago 

2009 Nouvelle Mode: Wearable Art for the Body, Fashion Show, Best of  Show, Textile Art Center, Chicago, IL 

2000  Fashion Show, Indiana Contemporary Art Museum, Ft Wayne, IN

1995  Slack Belly, Performance by Philtergahk Gruppe, Co founder, co wrote and directed performance, design costumes, Bop Shop, Chicago 

1994 The Mother Truckers, Colson Truck Group, Bop Shop, Chicago, IL 

1994 The Land of Do As You Please, collaborative performance Coyote Festival, Chicago 

1994 Objects at an Exhibitions, Environments with Fashion, collaborative Performance, Tough Gallery, Chicago 

1993 Performance, Around the Coyote Art Festival, Chicago, IL 

1993 Quivering Line, Colson Truck Group, Moffit Street Gallery, Chicago, IL 

1992 Exhibit at Space Gallery, two person show,  Chicago, IL 

1992 Cie Eclipseodanse, Emergence Dance Theater, Paris, France 

PRESS

  • Aaron Sheppard, ”Wandering Bird: Sandra Leonard”, PVAC, July 2020 

  • Susan DeGrane, “Sculpting with fabric: Beverly artist creates wearable dinosaurs for Field Museum, wearable art that ‘challenges traditional ideas”, Chicago Tribune, February 2020 

  • Roger Brown, “ Meet Sandra Leonard”, Voyage Chicago Magazine, June 2018

  • Howard Ludwig, “Wild Costume Art Return to Beverly Arts Center Stage With “Wandering Bird”, DNAinfo, November 2017

  • Howard Ludwig, “Marie Antoinette Inspires Beverly Artist Ahead of Steppenwolf Fashion Show”, DNAinfo, March 2015 

  • Howard Ludwig, “ Beverly Artist Again Making the Most of Empty Storefronts” DNAinfo, December 2014 

  • Elizabeth Bynum, “Best Surrealist Duo: Sal Campbell and Sandra Leonard”, Southside Weekly, October 2014 

  • “Surrealist Fashion Show Crosses Into Dream”, The Villager, Oct 2014 

  • “City sets Chicago Artists Month”, The Beverly Review, Oct 2014 

  • Howard Ludwig, “Surrealist Fashion Show at Beverly Art Center to Showcase Local Designer”, DNAinfo, September 2014 

  • Kristin Boza, “Sandra Leonard: A Portfolio of Wearable Art”, The Villager, May 2013 

  • Maryanne Johnson, “Art Facts: ten friends hanging out at the Bop Shop”, Reader, December 1993 

  • Michael Bulke, “The Quivering Line”, New Art Examiner, November 1993 

  • Simmone Vidal, “5 festival de danse contemporne a Menilmontant”, L’AMI Du, April 1992 

DOCUMENTARY 

“Our City, Our Shakespeare”, director Scott Silberstein, “Chicago Artist Interpret Shakespeare” , Emmy nominated, May 2014

EDUCATION

1989-1992 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL Master of Fine Art, Studies: Sculpture, Performance Art, Photography                       1985-1988 University of North Texas State, Denton, TX BFA in Fine Arts, Studies: Sculpture, Furniture Design, Photography