LEAH K. TOMAINO received her BFA from the Cooper Union, New York and her MA from William Paterson University, New Jersey, both with concentrations in painting. She has also studied abroad at The Studio Art School of the Aegean, Samos, Greece. Leah teaches painting to adults and children at Artworks Studio, through the Randolph Township Parks and Recreation Department, Randolph, NJ, as well as being an Adjunct Professor at the County College of Morris, Randolph, NJ. In addition, she has taught workshops at the Children's Museum, SoHo, NY and has been a grant recipient from the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, New York, NY. Leah is a member of The National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY. Her work has been widely exhibited throughout the United States, has won national awards, and is in many private and public collections.
Tomaino's work is grounding to her soul. She is taken aback by the beauty and intangible qualities of natural flora: the various textures; the amazing flowers and fruits and foliage; and most of all, the spectacular rejuvenation after what appears to be a most definite death in the bleakness of a cold, dark winter. In our largely urban society, the ability to appreciate our natural surroundings has become dulled-the ability to see the wonder in a tree, the magic and the mystery in a flower, the indescribable peace and contentment that can fill one�s heart. She tries to show this to the viewer as her work is a surreal reminder of the peaceful, centered energy of the miraculous, natural living world which surrounds us. Her latest collages are made from torn, recycled brown shopping bags. She is interested in the concept that the bags started out as trees and then were made into paper which was torn and collaged into an image of the natural world, which in itself provided the required inspiration and energy. Her works are personal metaphors of her spirituality-conscious and direct affirmations of life after death, death after life, and life within death. A quiet harmonic stillness is comprehended.
Leah Tomaino joined Pixels on January 25th, 2007.
