Biography

Leonie Castelino is an American Fine Artist, recognized as one of three 20th Century influences as a Contemporary Bojagi Fiber Artist in the book, ‘Bojagi’ by Sara Cook. She has broken the traditional rectilinear boundaries of Korean Bojagi, to create works of art with pieced fabric, curved architectural lines, jagged edges, complex colors with the layering of fabric, and sculptures and installations.

Her art floats off the wall. Sculptures take on new ethereal forms, as they hang, or gently move, or serenely turn individually on a mobile, as it too turns with the slightest movement of air, or they dance with a passing breeze.

Her exhibitions have been characterized by the interplay of beauty, energy, and movement complemented with narrative and social commentary - a constant dialogue that explores new ideas, techniques, and artistic interpretation.

Leonie's installations are a celebration of women, some veiled about emancipatory freedom and achievement using the power of art to tell stories. Recently her wellspring of creativity is curating and collaborating exhibitions on women's issues with a sculptor, writer and researcher from the Institute for Women's Policy Research, photographer, musician and dancer.

Her art is featured in international books & professional publications, recently in Ateliers d’art, Jun-Jul 2021, 'La Couleur Un Monde À Explorer'.

Leonie’s art has been featured in several solo exhibitions from New York and across the United States, as well as internationally, from China, South Korea to South Africa. She was an Honored International Artist at From Lausanne to Beijing, 10th International Fiber Art Biennale’ at Tsinghua University Art Museum in Beijing, China. She exhibits in prestigious juried group exhibitions in international museums and galleries and recently in collaborations with multi-media artists to produce videos for virtual international exhibitions.

Her first two online lectures of two short videos in 2021 on 'Identity in Textiles' on patchwork from Rajasthan and Gujarat in India, and the embroidery of the Hill Tribes of Southeast Asia opened new vistas.

She continues her exploration of art and culture through the ancient Japanese textile arts of Shibori and Rozome.

She attained Journeyman designation at The Isabel O’Neil Workshop & Studio in New York creating objects of art studying painted finishes of European decorative arts inspired by Asian influences of the 18th and 19th centuries. She was on the faculty teaching Gilding and Vizagapatam in pen-work.

Leonie, with a Masters in Geography from the University of Bombay in India, immigrated to America in her early 20s where she studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology while earning a MBA from the City University of New York. In 1991 after a successful career in strategic planning in New York, and starting a family with her husband and two children, Leonie rediscovered the artist within and embarked on her next journey.

Selected references:

Review of Exhibition:

Through the Wall - Breaking Free

Leonie Castelino and Irene Osborn at the Pacific NW Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum in La Connor

Essay:

‘Leonie Castelino’s Art for the Soul’ by Frank Matheis

Publications:

Videos:

Interview:

Leonie Castelino, Contemporary Bojagi Fiber Artist. Shoutout LA