Leonard Wren
Leonard Wren | Read More
“If an artist truly sees the color of nature and feels its energy… they are an impressionist.” – Leonard Wren
As an Impressionist, Wren is intrigued by relationships of light and color. He goes directly to the outdoors to get the truth. As a plein air painter he must move quickly to eternalize on canvas his impression of the fleeting moment. By skillfully placing colors side by side allowing them to blend optically, he is able to capture light, color, atmosphere, and the illusion of depth exceptionally well. His paintings are full of color and life, having a sense of controlled spontaneity and liveliness in his brushwork. In essence they are a reflection of him.
When Wren discovered Impressionism, specifically the work of Monet, he “began to see in a totally new way.” Despite having a young family to support, Leonard decided to pursue a career as an artist. He sought out a teacher who could help him learn to paint light and color, and every week for a year traveled from his home in Tulsa to Oklahoma City to study with Richard and Edith Goetz.
Focusing on his Career
He quickly reached a point in his career where he was able to concentrate his efforts on his love of painting. In 1976, about a year after he began painting, Leonard closed his commercial design business, which he had owned and operated since 1964. After just a few years of painting, his inherent ability positioned Leonard as one of the leading American Impressionists.