Leslie Kennedy Lyon

Leslie Kennedy Lyon is an accomplished artist based in Charleston, SC, with extensive experience in teaching and arts administration. She holds a Master of Fine Arts with high honors from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY (1988), and a Bachelor of Science in Studio Art from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY (1983).

Leslie's artistic work is inspired by her extensive travels, as well as her experiences with anatomy and natural forms. Since 2011, she has been fully committed to her solo studio practice. Her series "Architecture of the Body" draws from academic anatomy books that she has appropriated to create whimsical compositions wholly separate from their original context and meaning. Her works have been described as non-objective, featuring vivid colors that suggest landscapes, mysterious still life objects, and abstracts. Leslie uses her experience with anatomy as a source of raw material to explore color and shape, often creating large-scale works that showcase her technical skill. Leslie's transition from anatomy studies to painting natural forms such as shells and fish bones led to her "Architecture of the Ocean" series, which features both large and small-scale beach finds that take on anthropomorphic qualities at times. She completed several paintings inspired by a recent trip to Morocco, and some of her new work is moving towards representation. Leslie's travels have taken her to many places worldwide, including Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Kyoto, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Malta, Sisley, Mexico City, Taos, and all over the United States.

In addition to her artistic practice, Leslie has more than 20 years of experience teaching college-level art courses. She has taught over a dozen courses in painting, drawing, design, and art history/criticism at institutions such as the University of South Carolina Upstate, Converse College, and Greenville Technical College. Leslie also holds credentials to teach college-level art history and art criticism, with 15 hours of graduate credits in art history/criticism. Her experience in arts administration includes grant writing and serving as the art school director for the Spartanburg Art Association from 1993-1994, where she successfully launched COLORS, an art program for inner-city youth. 

Leslie's professional accomplishments include exhibitions of her artwork in solo and group shows, public art installations, and participation in a painting workshop at Sadie Valeri Atelier in San Francisco. In 2023, Leslie is enrolled in Christie's Education Contemporary Art Business Certificate Program in New York, NY