Life oftentimes comes full circle. That’s the case for Orange County–based painter Jessica Leonard, who grew up near Saratoga Springs and still comes back every summer to paint. And this track season, she’s having a bit of a moment, with an exclusive solo exhibition at Spa Fine Art Gallery July 26-Sept. 2. “The Winner’s Circle” exhibit celebrates equine culture with paintings on unique circular surfaces that have become Leonard’s signature style.
“I love exploring composition and seeing how different something can look on a circle than on traditional surfaces,” says Leonard, who went toSouth Glens Falls High School. “Growing up, I would walk through Spa Fine Art and think, ‘Oh my god, this is so amazing.’ Now I’ll walk by there and see my paintings in the window or on the walls.”
The exhibition, which opens with an elegant evening reception on July 26, evolved from Leonard meditating on connections between a winner’s circle and her round paintings. “The Winner’s Circle” will showcase many of her newer works: vibrant, photorealistic horse portraits on circular surfaces of varying sizes. A rising star in the local arts community, this is Leonard’s second solo exhibition at Spa Fine Art; she also recently sold out of her wildlife collection atLake Placid’s upscale Gallery 46.
The sudden success is well-earned. Leonard has a fine arts degree from SUNY Plattsburgh, but after graduation—like so many—she meandered away from painting into work, marriage and raising kids. Years passed before the homegrown artist found her way back to painting. “As my kids got a little older, I was drawn to doing something else,” says Leonard. “A lot of people in my life at that time, including my husband, didn’t know the extent of my artistic ability.”
Leonard started at craft fairs and by doing local commissions, including lots of pet portraiture. She got into painting horses after depicting famous Thoroughbreds for CAPTAIN Community Human Services’ annual summer gala in Saratoga. “That was my ‘in,’ into horse racing, and I started painting the horses every year for CAPTAIN,” says Leonard. It also became her “in” at Spa Fine Art, where she’s displayed work since 2018.
“It blows me away that I used to go there and look up to the artists,” Leonard says. Now I’m one of them.” Talk about being in the winner’s circle.