Introduction: My name is Kiri Østergaard Leonard. I am a freelance illustrator and artist from Denmark, who is currently residing in New York City with my wonderful husband Alexander Leonard. My artwork is imaginative, playful and colorful with occasional modern elements. I like to work on projects ranging from realistic portraiture to fantasy and fairy tale illustrations. I draw my inspiration from folklore, childhood, nature, mythology and fairytales. While I enjoy working with a lot of different materials I am mainly focused on digital painting and colored pencils.
Artist’s Statement: Often times I lose myself within the pages of my sketchbook. These empty sheets of paper implore me to dream my wildest dreams, and fill their span of pages with images from the fairytale worlds I love to explore so much.
As a child I was captivated by the images of monsters and otherworldly creatures depicted in the pages of my books. That fondness grew as I grew, leading me along a twisting path of my own imagination that only got curiouser and curiouser along the way. In my adulthood I am learning to keep one foot founded in reality.
When my head is not in the clouds I am hard at work studying to better my artistic abilities. But in the end I draw because I have always drawn. It is the heading to the compass of my life, and I would be lost without it. Equipped with my trusty colored pencils and a crew of other medium I set out to uncover the mysteries that await me.
Projects & Highlights:
- 2013: Semi-Finalists in Deviant Art’s MaMa Scared Stiff contest
- 2012: Self-published the Trollkin Calendar for 2013, featuring 12 unique troll themed illustrations.
- 2012: Logo Illustration for Naughty Bomb
- 2012: Joined the Story Elves as illustrator Elf: StoryElves.com
- 2012: Zombie Illustrations for UndeadSocial.com
- 2012: Viking Paper Dolls, personal project.
- 2012: Logo Design for LinnLenna.dk
- 2012: Published on the cover of the danish magazine ‘Himmelskibet‘.
- 2011: Self-published the Fairy Pin Up Calendar for 2012, featuring 12 unique fairy pin up illustrations.
- 2011: Received Art Grant from the danish art foundation of ‘Kunsthandler Richard Wilstrup Og Hustru Franciska Født Jensens Legat’
- 2010 – 2011: Pratt Institute BFA Foundation, Major: Drawing
- 2010: Drawing of Tid, den Evige Kælling published in The Beltane Papers.
- 2010: Received Art Grant from the danish art foundation of ‘Kunsthandler Richard Wilstrup Og Hustru Franciska Født Jensens Legat’
- 2009: Drawing of Slattenpat published in The Pentacle Magazine.
- 2008 – 2009: Foundation Course, Aarhus’ Academy of Fine Arts.
- 2006: Art and Design, Aarhus.
- 2004: Exhibit “Fragments of a Child’s Mind” (Aug. – Sep.) Bakkegaarden, Ebeltoft.
- 2004: Exhibit “Fragments of a Child’s Mind” (Feb. – April) Gallery Madness, Ikast.