Beverly Leesman

Beverly Leesman grew up in the Midwest in an area of family farms where any kind of city life was an hour or so away. She went to school in a small town of about 600 people where very few women went to college and only a handful actively pursued a career. Because she knew that she had to be an artist, Leesman left her hometown of San Jose, Illinois to follow her dream. She persevered and graduated from Illinois State University as a jeweler, painter, art historian and graphic designer. Since 1986, Leesman has devoted her talents to the exploration of realistic watercolor based on her own digital photographs.

Although born and raised in the flat plains of central Illinois, Leesman has lived in Paris, France; Liverpool, NY; Merrmack, NH; and in 1998, settled in Albuquerque, NM. After all these moves, she reopened her studio in May of 2002 and returned to full time painting.

Leesman has won awards for her realistic watercolors in National, Statewide and Regional Art Exhibits since 1992. Her paintings have been included in shows at the New York City National Arts Club and The Salmagundi Club. Her biography is listed in Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in the West and Who's Who in American Art.

Selected Juried Exhibitions

• Watercolor West, Brea, CA, 2004
  American Artist Magazine Award, 2004
• North East Watercolor Society 18^th National Exhibit, Goshen, NY, 1994
  Richard Ochs Award, 2004
• The Taos National Exhibition of American Watercolor VII, 2204 Taos, NM.
• Art for the Parks, selected as one of the 125 Minis, Jackson Hole, WY, 2004
• Red River Watercolor Society National Show, Fargo, ND, 2004
• Missouri Watercolor Society National, Fulton, MO, 2004
• 8^th Annual Heartland Artists Exhibition, Merriam, KS, 2004
• Allied Artists of America, 90^th Annual Exhibition, New York, NY, 2003
• Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Juried National Show, New York, NY, 2003.
• Barns & Farms National Juried Exhibition, Kewaunee, WI, 2003.
• Salmagundi Club's 26^th Annual Non-Members Juried Exhibition, New York, NY, 2003.
• 26^th International Exhibition Watercolor Art Society-Houston, Houston, TX, 2003.
• 16^th Exhibition, Animals in Art, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 2003.
• Hilton Head Art League's National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head Island, SC, 2003.
• Masterworks, State Fair Grounds, Albuquerque, NM, 2003.
• River Road Show, Baton Rouge, LA, 2002, 2003.
  Second Place, 2002.
• Aqueous Open, Pittsburgh Watercolor Society, Pittsburgh, PA, 2002, 1995.
• Dick Blick Award, 1995.
• New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque, NM, 2002, 2003
  Honorable Mention, 2003.
• New Mexico Watercolor Society's Fall Exhibit, Albuquerque, NM, 2002, 2003.
• Board of Director's Award, 2002, 2003.
• New Mexico Watercolor Society's Spring Exhibit, Albuquerque, NM, 2003.
  M. Graham & Co. Award, 2003.
• North East Watercolor Society 18^th National Exhibit, Goshen, NY, 1994, 2003.

Publications

• "Luminous Illusions", Watercolor Magic, article about David Drummond -- to be published June 2005.
• "Making a Move", Artist Magazine, to be published March 2005.
• "Flying the Friendly Skies", Artist Magazine, published February 2005.
• "How to Paint Like a Pro", Artist Magazine, published January 2005.
• "Working Backwards. Using supplies you already have could help your art and your empty wallet", The Artist's Life, Creativity Toolbox, Artist Magazine, November 2004.
• "The Art Buying Journey", Collector Savvy, Plein Air Magazine, November 2004.
• "The Ins and Outs of Juried Shows", Watercolor Studio, Summer 2004.
• "Satna Fe and Taos, NM: Is there any room for watercolor?", Watercolor Studio, Fall 2004

Professional Affiliations

Signature Memberships

• North East Watercolor Society
• National Association of Women Artists
• American Artists Professional League
• American Pen Women (Arts & Letters)

Juried Member

• Watercolor West