Susan Leyland British, b. 1952
These sculptures are characterized by horse figures that emerge from geometrically shaped volumes or bases.
Susan Leyland, a sculptor born in England in 1952, currently lives and works in Tuscany, where, just outside Florence, she has created her studio in an old stable located in an olive grove.
Since childhood she has shown a great interest in drawing and art, combining her love for horses. For a certain period she worked as a riding instructor before completely embracing artistic activity. For Leyland the artist, the horse becomes an object of study, a means of expression and a privileged subject in sculpture, in semi-refractory clay and above all in bronze, in line with much of the statuary of the twentieth century masters. The expressive composition called: Horse Block Sculpture, characterized by equestrian figures emerging from geometric shapes and bases, is present in most of her works and makes them immediately recognisable. She exhibits her works all over the world, in galleries, museums, institutional places and contemporary art fairs.
Susan Leyland is an internationally renowned artist and sculptor. Born in England in 1952, she currently lives and works in Tuscany, where, just outside Florence, she has created her studio in an old stable located
in an olive grove. Since childhood she has shown a great interest in drawing and art, combining her love for horses. For the artist, the horse thus becomes an object of study, a means of expression and a privileged subject in sculpture. She creates her works in semi-refractory clay treated with terracotta firing techniques, but above all in bronze. Always looking for innovative solutions in forms and compositions, she created what became the distinctive feature of many of her works and which she called: “Horse Block Sculpture”.
These sculptures are characterized by horse figures that emerge from geometrically shaped volumes or bases.
After completing her studies and a brief experience at the Institute of Criminology of the University of Cambridge, in 1973 she moved to Italy near Florence, working as an instructor in the world of horse riding, but continuing to cultivate and develop her natural passion for art.
In 1998 she officially began her artistic activity which, from her first exhibitions in Florence, led her to exhibit
in private galleries and museums in many countries and receive prestigious commissions from clients and collectors.
She particularly noted the bronze creation of the equestrian monument: War Horse Memorial at Ascot in the United Kingdom and the installation of a fountain composed of five bronze equestrian figures at SunWorld, Da Nang, Vietnam.
Susan Leyland's works are esteemed and appreciated all over the world, in Europe, North America, Australia but also in Asia, Korea and Arab countries. She holds solo exhibitions in London in various galleries. She creates and exhibits her works dedicated to the London 2012 Olympics at London Heathrow Terminal 5. She held a highly prestigious solo show in 2012 at the Marino Marini Museum in Pistoia. She has had numerous exhibitions such as participation in the Venice Biennale and a solo show at the town hall of Pontassieve. We also remember the exhibition at the museum and in the oratory of the Contrada della Selva in Siena and the exhibitions at galleries and events in the United States, Sweden, Germany and France. Contemporary art fairs include Miami, Istanbul, London, Bologna and Genoa.
