LESLIE WATTS
  • Home
  • Paintings
    • People
    • Public Figures
    • Exterior
    • Interior
    • Still Life
    • Animals
  • Info
    • Bibliography
    • CV
    • Documentary
    • Learn to use Egg Tempera
    • Media and Reviews
    • Purchase
  • Contact

CV

Born 
1961   Weston, Ontario 


Education
1984   Honours BA, Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Work   
1987   Began a two-decade career as a children’s book illustrator and author
2007   Became a full-time painter

Exhibitions
2001   “Works on Paper.”  Harriston-Minto Heritage Gallery, Harriston, Ontario 
2008   “New Works.”  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario 
2008   “Small is Good.” Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario (group)  
2009   “New Works.”  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario 
2009   “Perth Huron Juried Exhibition.”  Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario (group)  
2010   “New Works.” Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario 
2010   “Perth Huron Juried Exhibition.” Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario (group) 

2011   "New Works."  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario

2012   "An Indelicate Practice."  Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario
2012   "Perth Huron Juried Exhibition."  Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario (group)
2012   "New Works."  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario
2013   "Life / Still Life."  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario
2013 - 2014   "BP Portrait Award 2013."  National Portrait Gallery, London, England; Aberdeen Art Gallery, Scotland;   

             Wolverhampton Art Gallery, England
2014   "Flora & Fauna."  Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario
2014 - 2015   "BP Portrait Award 2014."  National Portrait Gallery, London, England; Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, 
             UK; National Portrait Gallery of Scotland; Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales
2014   "Perth Huron Juried Exhibition."  Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario (group)
2015   "Pigs in Museums." Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario

2015-2016  "BP Portrait Award 2015."  National Portrait Gallery, London, England
2015-2016  "The Kingston Prize 2015."  Gananoque, ON; Fredericton, NB; Drummondville, QC
2015   "Village Studios: Small Works; New Paintings and Drawings by Matthew Tarini and Leslie Watts."  Village Studios, Stratford,              Ontario

2016    "Natural History." Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario
​
2017    "The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition." Mall Galleries, London, UK
2017    "Balloon Dreams." Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario
2017    "Women in Art." Burgh House, Hampstead, UK
2017    "The Kingston Prize 2017."  Firehall Theatre, Gananoque, ON; Peel Regional Art Gallery, Brampton, ON
2018     "Oil Paintings." Village Studios, Stratford, Ontario

2019    "The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition." Mall Galleries, London, UK (by invitation)
2019     "The Kingston Prize 2019." Firehall Theatre, Gananoque, ON


Awards
1986   Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
1986   Guelph Creative Arts Association Juried Exhibition Prize
2004   Blue Spruce Honour Book,  Ontario Library Association, for You Can’t Rush a Cat
2006   Saskatchewan Shining Willow Award for You Can’t Rush a Cat
2006   Amelia Frances Howard Gibbon Illustrator’s Award, Canadian Library Association, for The Baabaasheep Quartet
2006   Foremost Magazine Book of the Year, Honourable Mention, for The Baabaasheep Quartet
2009   People’s Choice Award, Perth Huron Juried Exhibition, Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario
2009   Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
2010   Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant

2011   Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2013   Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant
2013   Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
2014   Canada Council for the Arts Travel Grant
2014   People's Choice Award, Perth Huron Juried Exhibition, Gallery Stratford, Stratford, Ontario

2015   Charlotte and Emily selected as a souvenir postcard for the BP Portrait Award 2015 at the National Portrait Gallery,                             London, England
2015   Honourable Mention, The Kingston Prize 2015.  Gananoque,
Ontario; Fredericton, NB; Drummondville, Québec
2016   First Runner-Up, Jackson's Open Art Prize for Pamela Newel Sellers
2017   Runner-Up, Jackson's Open Painting Prize for Dora Steps Out
2017   People's Choice Award for The Bookseller, The Kingston Prize 2017. Gananoque, Ontario
2019   Honourable Mention for Emily in Two T-Shirts, The Kingston Prize 2019. Gananoque,
Ontario

Portrait Commissions
2018    The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, for Rhodes House, Oxford, UK
2019    Roy Romanow, Chancellor, for The University of Saskatchewan
2021    Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, official portrait for the Ontario Legislative               Building, Queen's Park, Toronto ON (unveiling TBA)
2021     Jim Leech, Chancellor, for Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario 
2022    Shelagh Rogers, Chancellor, for The University of Victoria






















The copyright on all images is owned by Leslie Watts.  Images may not be reproduced for any purpose without express written consent by Leslie Watts.