Aug

27 2020

10 AM Coffee Break & Culture featuring Leslie Cober-Gentry

10:00AM - 10:30AM  

Click to Register for this Zoom meeting. 

We may not have access to our newly opened Hoos Family Art Gallery, but that won't stop us from connecting together over culture in our own backyard! Pour your cup of coffee and connect with local artists from the comfort of your own home. Send your questions in advance or ask live during the 30 minute sessions. Register in advance and we'll see you soon!

Leslie will be speaking about her career/work/life as an artist throughout her lifetime.

Artist Bio:

An award-winning artist known for her uplifting, elegant art and design, Leslie Cober’s endeavors include a thriving and accomplished art career, designer, curator, and educator. Instructing and mentoring undergraduates as a Professor at The Fashion Institute of Technology NYC for 13+ years. Instructor, mentor, director and thesis advisor to the Graduate MFA Illustration students as a Professor at Western Connecticut State University for 6+ years. Guiding and directing the MFA Graduate students on a path to completing their visual and written thesis. Curator and Chair of The Member’s show at The Museum of American Illustration Society of Illustrators NYC annually for 5 consecutive years, guest speaking to art and design students at various universities throughout the country, serving as a member of the NYC Landmark50 Alliance, Co-chair of the Visiting Illustrator Lecture Series at WCSU (bringing in top notch artists), and newly appointed to The Sanford B Low Illustration Collection Committee at the New Britain Museum, advising the Low Illustration Collection, and creating ideas for future illustration exhibits.

Born in New York City, Leslie grew up in a creative environment surrounded by well-respected illustrators and art directors in the business. Her father, Alan E. Cober a Hall of Fame Illustrator, gave the family the opportunity to often travel the country on his own illustration assignments visiting National Parks, sports arenas, travel destinations and backstage locations. Collections of folk art, contemporary ceramics, paintings and drawings filled her rooms, frequently hanging out drawing along side her father in his art studio. By a young age, Leslie discovered her creative passion, pursuing her dream of becoming an artist and designer. At 15 she completed her first assignment for the New York Times Op Ed page. While attending Syracuse University on merit scholarship, Leslie simultaneously worked on professional assignments while completing her undergraduate degree. After graduating from Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Art, Leslie continued to create professionally for many of the most prestigious magazines, newspapers, corporations, and advertising agencies in the world. In 2011 she was awarded an MFA degree in Illustration on partial merit scholarship from the University of Hartford. At graduation she was given the honor of representing the graduate students as commencement speaker.

Leslie has won numerous awards, including The Society of Publication Designers, Print’s Regional Design Annual, Vision Awards Annual Report Competitions, and Graphic Design USA. Her well recognized Strathmore Bristol paper cover art has recently gone into the permanent collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art.

Currently serving on the Executive Board of the Society of Illustrators, The Board of Directors of FTC The Warehouse/Stage One Music Venue, the NYCLandmark50Alliance, The New Britain Museum of American Art Sanford B Low Illustration Collection Committee, various smaller committees, serving on faculty at two colleges and a 30+ year studio based art career, clearly displays Leslie’s devotion to the creative visual arts community through collaboration, socialization, empowerment, networking, and team work.

Leslie’s most current endeavors are 3 commissioned outdoor public space murals, exhibiting simultaneously throughout Fairfield County, CT. Her goal for these large outdoor paintings was to spread optimism and positivity throughout the current mass confinement.

Learn more at https://www.lesliecober-gentry.com/about

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