After recently being short-listed for the Irish Art Awards Leonie Mc Meel’s hard work and dedication to her art practice is beginning to pay off. Leonie like her paintings has had a colourful relationship with art since beginning her training in Limerick School of Art and Design in 1998. Leaving there in 2001 Leonie had her first Solo exhibition in 2002 for the Limerick County Council titled ‘Organized Chaos’. The show sold extremely well and this in turn lead the way for Leonie to market her self as an artist to watch.
 
Since then Leonie has had established a loyal corporate and private client base, with prominent pieces on display in many buildings around Limerick City.
 
For the past three years her focus has been on developing her practice as a professional artist. In 2006 Leonie returned to the Limerick School of Art and Design and graduated with an honors Degree in Fine Art Painting in.
 
2007 proved to be a busy year for Leonie, along with her Degree show Spectrum, The Drawing Awards , her second and third solo exhibitions and a group show in The Ruby Lane Fine Art Gallery, Leonie also moved her career to Dublin. She now works as a curator in Gallery23, Blanchardstown, as well as continuing her art practice in Monster Truck Studios, Francis Street Dublin 8.
 
Leonie has taken part in both The Spring Fair and The November show at Art Ireland 2007. Donating paintings for charity auction is something close to Leonie’s heart. Most recently Leonie sold a painting at auction for the National Breast Cancer Research Institute’s charity auction at the Clayton Hotel, Galway. In the past her paintings have been auctioned in The Irish Chamber Orchestra Valentines Ball ’07 & ‘08. The Masquerade Ball ‘07 in aid of the Oncology Unit, The Regional hospital Limerick and The Bank of Scotland Golf Classic in Carton House ’07 in aid of the Injured Irish rugby players.
 
So far in 2008 Leonie has been commissioned to create an Organic Sculpture Mural for the TV programme Show house on RTE. And is also busy getting ready for her forthcoming solo show, her first in Dublin on the 17th April in Monster Truck Gallery and studio.