——|West Chester & Chadds Ford People|——
The intersection of love and art
Photos by Leslie Grigsby
Left: Tigger / Tiger by Leslie Grigsby will be traveling to Africa as part of the Art in Embassies program. Center: Leslie and Lindsay Grigsby are partners in life and art. Right: Lindsay Grigsby creates a wood turning in his studio.
By Lisa Fieldman Correspondent
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f you peruse history, you’ll find that artists and matrimony are not always easy bedfellows. Leslie and Lindsay Grigsby seem to have discovered the secret to a happy collaboration, in love and in art. Married for the past 32 years, husband and wife pursue different art forms. Leslie is a known for her beadwork sculptures. Lindsay has worked in many different art forms, though he is focusing on wood sculpture presently. In addition to following their own unique creative paths, they are often collaborative partners. When Leslie needs a form for her beaded sculptures, Lindsay is her go-to guy. Sometimes he also provides the finishing touches. “He’s great with metal leafing and lacquer enhancements,” explains Leslie. Her contribution to Lindsay’s work is not necessarily handson, but it is just as valuable. Leslie explains, “Admittedly, I contribute to his work more by saying things like,
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‘Wouldn’t that look better if you moved it an inch to the left?’ or ‘Have you considered blue instead of red?’” From childhood, Leslie has been surrounded by or involved in the arts. Her parents were serious collectors of 18th century ceramics, primitive textiles and early clocks with unusual movement. Many family friends were collectors or museum curators. From an early age, she was immersed in an environment where creativity was valued. Her mother’s cousin is Mexican artist Leonardo Nierman, known for his highly colorful abstract paintings and sculpture. “He is considered a national treasure of Mexico,” says Leslie proudly. Though she spent a lot of time being exposed to art, and dabbled in watercolor as a child, “I never expected to be an artist,” she admits. A Chicago native, Leslie earned her bachelor degree in art history from the University of Illinois at ChampaignUrbana. She then studied in England, receiving a graduate degree in art gallery and museum studies from
West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2016 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com