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Born in the booming California southland of 1954, Leslie Hara grew up in a world undergoing accelerating and irreversible change; change which has proudly transformed our lives and proudly influenced how we all see ourselves. Hara, lived through her youth and young adult life as a student/mother/bread winner/political activist.
Hara's life as a painter blossomed in 1985 when a creativity which had taken 34 years to emerge was released. Since that time Hara has shown her work through out the Western United States and has won numerous awards in juried competitions. She was recently awarded the 1995 Ventura County Commission for Women Achievment award in the Arts.
Ms.Hara has succeeded in making the human condition the subject of her work on canvas as well as in the world. As Co-Director of the Arts Program in Camarillo State Hospital, Hara has explored new ground bringing the benefits of the multi-media arts immersion to thousands of mentally and emotionally disabled children, adolescents and adults. She and Co-Director Jack Cheney established the Art=Life Gallery, one of the world's most critically acclaimed venues for "outsider art."
In her paintings Hara explores the most important dilemas of modern life. In the tension between boldly colorful contexts and suspended indentity, Hara asks, "what is to be fully human in today's world? How do we find our way in the ever shifting modern contexts, both inner and outer, that we have created?" Personality is reduced brilliantly to gesture and the blank undefined faces cry out for identity. All the while the canvas shimmers with bright primary colorful opulence and alludes to its own kind of depth and hidden secrets. With so much mystery in every tonal field and line, Ms Hara reminds us that concerning the crucial questions of contemporary existence there are no obvious answers.
Gallery Presentations
- September 1993- Present: Northlight Gallery, Westside Pavilion, Los Angeles
- April 1993- Present: Huesso's, Palm Springs, California
- November 1991-Present: Sher Galleries, Florida
Solo Exhibitions
- July 6- August 30,1993: Wheelers Hot Springs, Ojai, California
- April - June, 1993: Vickman's, Los Angeles
- December 14, 1990: Spanover Art Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
- November 10, 1990: Installations One Gallery, Los Angeles
- Sept, 1-30, 1990: Finn's, Westlake Village
- July 1-30, 1990: Bank of America, Agoura, California
- May 1-30,1990: Louise's, Beverly Hills, California
- May 1 - June 30,1990: Brio's, Tarzana, California
- February 1 - 30,1990: Michael Richard, Los Angeles
- November 18, 1989: Installations One Gallery Los Angeles
Juried Shows
- July 1 - August 30, 1993: Laguna Arts Festival - Art A Fair
- March 14 - 19, 1993: La Quinta Arts Festival, Palm Springs
- September 27, 1992: Long Beach Arts Council
- July - August 30,1992: Laguna Arts Festival - Art A Fair
- March 13 - 18, 1993: La Quinta Arts Festival, Palm Springs
- August 1991: Adah Callahan Exhibit- Award Recipient
- September 5 - Oct. 19, 1991: Ventura County National Bank
- May 19-21,1991: Affaire in the Gardens, Beverly Hills
- March 13-17,1991: La Quinta Arts Festival, Palm Springs
- October 20-21, 1990: Affaire in the Gardens, Beverly Hills
- Oct. 14- November 10, 1990: Installations One Gallery, Los Angeles
- March 12 - April 13, 1990: Los Angeles City Hall
- Nov. 19-Dec. 16,1990: Installations One Gallery, Los Angeles
Awards
- 1995-Ventura County Commission For Women Achievement Award/ Arts
- 1992 Bronze Award from Art in California Magazine
- 1990 National Women's History Month Art Exhibit at City Hafl/Los Angeles
Memberships
- Turning Point Foundation, Ventura; Arts Advisory Board
- Arts in Mental Health, Statewide Committee, Sacramento
- L.A. Art, Los Angeles
- Co-op 7, Los Angeles