Big Leg Mama

Website

Leslie Ariel works primarily in clay and concrete. Her forms derive from a classically modern abstraction of the figure as well as her particular interpretation of naturally occurring forms. She strives to make pieces that can be read simultaneously on several levels.

A Montana native, Leslie now calls Portland, Oregon her home. She has evolved her distinctively organic style over the course of more than 10 years, working mostly in ceramic. Over this time, her pieces have steadily grown in size and sophistication, and she has turned to concrete to accommodate their ever increasing size. Big Leg Mama, a concrete seated figure owned by the city of Puyallup, WA, is her largest work to date and stands at just over 8 feet tall.

Anyone wishing to contact Leslie with questions about her work or requests for commissions can do so by clicking on the link above. The portfolio gallery offers a overview of the artist’s work, while the outdoor maquette (model) gallery is a catalogue of her vision for monumental “participatory” sculpture—accessible work on a grand scale. While in actuality the pieces depicted stand no more than a few inches high, each is a proposal for a sculptural work that could stand anywhere from 4 inches to 40 feet tall. Many of the maquettes are designed to function as benches or gates, some even as architectural-scale pieces. Leslie is happy to design work for a garden, a residence, a lobby or a plaza, private or public—whatever is called for. All are invited to check out her website at www.bigideastudios.com or by clicking on the link above.