Due to the interest in Leon's work: we are hosting a closing reception Friday 8th July @ 7pm.. We hope you can join us.
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​every piece of artwork is affordable specially priced for the show to make it possible for you to take home some beautiful original artwork..please check out leon's website
for what we are showing....http://arfandsoul.com/
ps: im working for this artist and this friend on many levels please join us to celebrate the many hours of heart and soul that  he has put  into these works of art....

Leon works with many different mediums... the gallery is pleased to be showing his lifetime works.
​Titled Out Of My Mind  June 10th through June 19th @ thegallery8680

​Leon Robertson
Pen, Ink & Mixed Media artist
 
 “Mother Nature”. That would be the answer if someone were to ask me what artist(s) inspire me. When I am not working or in the studio, I spend most of the time in my garden or walking my dogs. My most recent series, the “Junkyard Birds” was conceptualized during one of those dog walks. It was then that I observed a bird pick up a piece of plastic, flip it in the air and appear to question what to do with it. That moment allowed me to really notice the amount of litter that was tucked away in the grasses or hugging the sidewalks in my neighborhood. Then I thought, if a bird can use its findings to build its home; I will build a bird based on my findings. Every bird created in this series is made from items found on the street. In my mind, this is an apocalyptic story on how life continues and evolves after man no longer exists on Earth.
Another series that I created, ARF & Soul is about man's best friend- the dog. Currently, there are 51 dogs in this on-going series. Seven of them are published in the book, “1000 Dog Portraits: From the People Who Love Them.” A book for “ARF & Soul” is planned.
My two dogs, Gus and Spek are my children. The idea for ARF & Soul began while I was watching them lay in a deep sleep. It is said that dogs can spend up to 16 hours of their day sleeping. With that much sleep, I wondered what they dreamed about. I wondered if they dreamed about things that we often think of. Do they dream of being somewhere else? Do they dream about being someone else? Do they dream about exploring this big great world? I was curious. When they woke up, they stared at me and I wondered...What are they thinking about? When you look into a dog's eyes there is a powerful story waiting to be told. There are so many expressions. Every dog has a story. And all of my work has a story.
The Urban Silhouettes and Love Perennial series were both created out of stories of heartache. Urban Silhouettes was inspired by the tragedy of 9.11., while the Love Perennial Series is a symbolic representation of how love is a constant cycle. It needs nurturing for its growth, attention to maximize its beauty, understanding during the struggle and patience when it needs to rejuvenate; very much like a perennial bulb. Sometimes it comes back strong and sometimes it fades away. That is love.
I am a self-taught artist and I am always experimenting. From pen and ink, to up-cycled materials; I have learned to just have fun with it by putting a literal spin on my work to make it authentic. Often times, a lot of research is required in order for the piece to make sense to me. The names, colors and titles are all selected with great intent and emotion. Sometimes I obsess over it and a work can take months to complete because of the details. That is one of the reasons I wanted to call my show “Out Of My Mind”. The other reasons:
1.       The art came “out of my mind”.
2.      Some people may think that I am “out of my mind” for some of the characters that I create.
3.      Sometimes I think I am going “out of my mind” because I hear the voices in my head for the characters that I create.
I hope you enjoy the crazy as much as I do.
A former Frisco resident (now based in Dallas), Leon has showcased his work in many exhibits for thegallery680. He has also shown his work at the Frisco Discovery Center, Newman Village Art Gallery, the McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Frisco's City Hall Annual Art in the Atrium and the Visual Arts Guild of Frisco; where he was the VAGF exhibit coordinator for two years. Leon loves to collect art from local artists and from his travels. He is known to keep much of his own work in his private collection.

From The Series Urban Silhouettes

Muscari From The Series Botanica Linear

From The Series Junkyard Birds

From The Series Love Perenial

Cheetah From The Series Animal Attraction

Franklin the Dachschund From The Series ARF and Soul