Eric Leon

 

Eric Leon has been a graphic illustrator, painter and creator of 3D digital art for over eighteen

years. His work ranges from sculpting and modeling digital characters, to developing 3D environments and landscapes. His experience and passion for digital painting and sculpting has allowed him to

travel uncharted areas in African-American contemporary art. His work has been seen in solo exhibits and several student exhibits at the University of the Arts, where he has earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. Leon currently holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and a Master’s degree in education.  He has taught high school math for sixteen years and is a Visiting Professor at DeVry University.

 

 

Artist Statement


My experience and passion for digital painting and sculpting has allowed me to travel into uncharted areas of African-American contemporary art.  It is through this medium, that I am able to depict my rich African-American heritage and culture.

 

For nearly two decades I have developed and modeled 3D digital characters and have created virtual environments, in which to place and pose them. These 3D scenes are then rendered as two dimensional, digital paintings, which are often mistaken for photography.

 

Most recently, my focus has been directed toward creating digital paintings of the Antebellum South.

The fictional characters that I depict in my paintings represent slaves or freed slaves of that era.

They are portrayed in settings that are not representative of their station or class, and their posture

and expressions are like those of the elite, found in daguerreotype photography or mannerist paintings. These pieces are generally printed on 1/2 inch Maple wood.

 

 

©2014 Eric Leon