ARTIST BIO

Leoni Duff is a multi award winning Tasmanian artist who has developed a widely recognized reputation as one of Australia's finest pastel artists and now also is being recognised for her works in acrylic and oil.
Duff spent many years living in rural NorthEast Tasmania in the tiny hamlet of Herrick where she developed her unique style, drawing on influences from her study of the history of art. She feels this time of solitude to have been an advantage in allowing an independent development of style and a freedom of expression not driven by trends that often move and mould the art world. Duff finds that the language of classical art can be used powerfully to express contemporary themes. Having recently travelled through the great European galleries and collections, Leoni has grown in her fervent belief in the importance of a disciplined approach to the development of a language enabling an artist to be unhindered in their exploration of creative potential, originality and imaginative freedom of expression.
Duff is deeply committed to her Christian Faith and finds that contemporary art is still able to communicate the timeless themes of the human condition. Through the development of her own system of subtle symbolism, her work can be read on many layers.
Her background and training as a classical musician at the Tasmanian Conservatorium gives her a deep connection with the history of the arts and she is particularly drawn to the Baroque themes and methods. Duff sees her art as visual music, striving for the sense of dignity and composure, passion and control, beauty and honesty, form and content of the Baroque composers. Each work... a visual and intimate piece of chamber music.

Some of her awards and exhibitions include:

1998 Pastel Prize and Popular Prize - Central Highlands Exhibition.
1998 Best Overall and Best Drawing prize Glamorgan Spring Bay Art Show and Exhibition
1999 Still Life Prize-All Mediums. Camberwell Rotary Art Awards (Victoria)
1999 Exhibition of 20 works IMAGES OF LIFE, held at Greenoaks Gallery
2000 Runner up - Tasmanian Art Awards, Burnie.
2000 Finalist - International Pastel Artist Awards.
2000 Prize Winner - Australian Artist Awards.
2001 Finalist - Rotary Camberwell Overseas Travel Grant
2001 Highly Commended - Rotary Camberwell Art Show
2001 Win Television Tasmania- Feature; "The Tasmanians"-Leoni Duff
2002 Guest Judge and Speaker for the "Women of a Century" Portrait Competition and Exhibition, Burnie, Tas.
2003 Pastel Prize Camberwell Rotary Art Awards (Victoria)
2003 Guest Judge Royal Hobart Show Artery Awards
2003 First Prize " Australia at Large" Competition AGRA
2003 The Terry Collins Award "Aspects of Excellence Exhibition
Australian Guild of Realist Artists (AGRA)
2003 Shortlisted as a finalist for the U.S.Q, McGregor Fellowship for Overseas Study
2004 John Glover Art Prize 2004 - Peoples Choice Award
2004 Best Figurative Work- Brisbane Rotary Art Spectacular
2004 Pastel Prize Camberwell Rotary Art Awards (Victoria)
2004 Finalist - Shirley Hannan National Portrait Awards 2004
2004 Invited to membership in Australian Women of the Year
2005 People's Choice Award - Wrest Point Art Award & Exhibition
2005 Best Work - Camberwell Rotary Art Awards
2006 People's Choice: NEACA exhibition
2007 People's Choice NEACA exhibition
2008 Established Leoni Duff Gallery and Studio in Brisbane Street Launceston
2008 People's Choice Rex Heathcoate Altzheimer's Exhibition
2009 Overseas Travel visiting Europe's major galleries

2010 People's Choice Rex Heathcoate Altzheimer's Exhibition 

2011 Eskleigh Exhibition, People's Choice Award
2011Tasmanian Art Awards, ,People's Choice
2011 Conducted Art and Culture Tour of Italy. Visited European Galleries and Angel Academy of Art Florence

2012 Accepted as finalist Glover Landscape Prize