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LESHA KOKOSKY

Artist

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MADAWASKA VALLEY

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STILL LIFE

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PORTRAIT

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MONOPRINT & MIXED MEDIA

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"Lesha's work leads us to experience new levels of association and meaning, and I am always aware of a quality in her work that reminds me that a feminine perspective is being expressed.  It is not a stereotypical view because so much of her work is still life and flowers; rather, it is a reflection on a deep level of what it is to experience life as a woman.

...When I see things in her work that speak to pride in her Ukrainian heritage, to love of her daughter, to her passion for the natural world and its beauty, I know that everyone else, whether they know her or not, also shares those experiences...


Lesha helps us to understand her subjects' true natures, enriched with colours, forms, patterns, textures, symbols and shapes in her masterful conceptualizations."

Jane Marshall  |  Artist, Writer

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ABOUT

There are places that are enchanted, and I have discovered one of them.


Having previously lived in Toronto, Oakville, Hamilton and Ottawa, I have recently moved to Combermere, Ontario. This move marked the culmination of a long-time dream to be closer to the magic of the Canadian north and the beauty of the Madawaska Valley.

My interest in the Madawaska Valley is rooted in my parents' stories of the Ukrainian town from which they emigrated and the local Polish heritage here in Kashubi. These explorations are underpinned by a deep love for the landscapes of The Valley and the people who call it home. 

I frequently visit local farms, lakes, and rivers and enjoy conversations with my many new friends who inspire me with their dedication to the land, family and nature.  

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MADAWASKA STUDIO TOUR

Fall 2023

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The WAAOC is an organization that opens its doors to the public, supports students in the arts and provides an enabling environment for the creation of art.

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Featuring the studio work of artists from Egansville to Barry's Bay. Tours are held annually in Fall and Summer.

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Visit my studio and gallery in Combermere, Ontario.

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FORMAL EDUCATION

Ontario College of Art, 1983 - 1986.
University of Toronto, Victoria College, 1969, B.A.

ADDITIONAL STUDIES

Oakville Art Society, painters' workshop
OCAD, various courses and workshops, in Design, Printmaking, 1978, to present.
Studies with Ottawa artist, Joyce Devlin, specialist in portraiture, oil painting, 1975 - 80.
Early studies with J. Symington, artist, (Hamilton Art Gallery Archives) 1960 - 63.

EXHIBITIONS, SOLO, AND GROUP (SINCE 1970)

  • Madawaska Valley Studio Tour, 2020 & 2021

  • Sovereign House, Heritage Society, Bronte, Oakville, solo exhibit 2007, 2006

  • Art Bank, Burlington Art Centre, Ontario, ongoing

  • Women’s Art Association of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, group show, 2007

  • Restorante Julia, Oakville Arts Council, Ontario, solo exhibit, 2005

  • Seasons Restaurant, Oakville, Ontario, solo show, 1996

  • Mad Dog Art Gallery, Picton, Ontario, solo exhibit, 1993

  • St. Volodymyr, Cultural Centre, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, solo exhibit 1991

  • St. Volodymyr, Cultural Centre, Oakville, Ontario, solo exhibit, 1990

  • Plast Gallery, exhibit with ceramic artist, Ted Diakiw, Edmonton, Alberta, 1990

  • Quan Schieder Gallery, "Summer Watercolours", with Eric Dymond, John Doyle, Susan

  • Stewart Wakefield, Quebec, premier solo exhibit, 1989

  • Gallery Wakefield, Quebec, premier solo exhibit, 1978

  • Teaching Artists' Exhibit, group show, Ottawa, Ontario, 1976

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Teaching, Art department administrator, secondary schools,

  • Visual Arts, Peel Board of Education, Mississauga, Ontario, 1983 - 2008

  • School of the Arts, High School of Commerce, Ottawa Board of Education, 1981 - 1983

  • The Centre for Creative Studies, Ottawa, 1978

  • Teaching Life Drawing, Carleton University, School of Architecture, 1976

  • Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Ottawa Board of Education, 1976 - 1980

  • Renfrew County Board of Education, 1970 - 74

JURIED EXHIBITS AND AWARDS

  • Oakville Arts Council and Oakville Arts Society 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

  • Honourable Mention, 2005

  • CSPWC Open Water exhibit, Market Gallery, Toronto, 2007, Woolfitts Award

  • Oakville Arts Council, Spirit Award, 2005

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