Leigh Schneider
Unearthing Purpose
Unearthing Purpose
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Series: Time Has Wings
Strange to imagine, is that our lives are finite, when all we've ever known is to live...
'Time Has Wings,' (a variation of the saying 'time flies'), is a body of work that focuses on what is of deep value to us in life.
Handmade sculptures and natural materials (most of which were foraged), form the aesthetic foundations of the series. Every element was hand arranged by the artist on set. Each concept was crafted to share a message, took weeks to complete and was created with love for detail. Layered symbolism allows each piece to share it's story, with many of the artworks containing hidden elements that await discovery.
The 'wings of time' are represented in each artwork by some form of moth. Short-lived, they represent reaching fullness of potential and maturity. Additionally, moths orient themselves by the source of light in the darkness, symbolising the pursuit of illumination and good.
Presenting topics such as love, identity, legacy and hope, 'Time Has Wings' invites us to examine our priorities and refocus on what is paramount—with the time we have.
Artist Statement: As with the shaping of clay, the formation of our identity unearths our purpose.
Individually hand sculpted Acanthus leaves, represent rebirth into who we truly are. Split gill mushrooms symbolise the transformation we undergo, as we gain vision for our lives.
Together, these ground elements allude to the full cycle of life, as we are formed from and returned to the earth. In knowing who we are, we are enabled to pursue purpose in the time we have between.
Edition: 16 + 2AP
Dimensions: 320mm (w) x 400mm (h)
Year: 2024
Medium: Digital photograph, limited edition giclee print
Framing Specifications: Double matting, AR70 glass, with curved black frame
Framed Dimensions: 480mm (w) x 570mm (h)
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Leigh Schneider
Leigh Schneider is a Conceptual Fine Art Photographer. Born in 1986, she grew up between a small town in farmland Waikato, New Zealand and remote desert in the Outback of Queensland, Australia.
Her interest in photography started at the age of sixteen, when she won a regional competition for analogue portraiture. Leigh went on to gain a Bachelor’s in Computer Graphic Design, working in the field for a decade. In 2017, after a house robbery resulted in the loss of all her work, she decided to reinvest the insurance payout into her first full-frame digital camera. From there, she began to self-teach Fine Art Photography and fell in love with the process and possibilities of the digital medium.
Leigh worked commercially as a Fine Art Photographer and Art Director before moving into the Fine Art world.
Since making her artist debut in 2022, Leigh's work has been exhibited, awarded and published internationally. She has been a finalist multiple times in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and her pieces have been added to collections across Australasia, Europe and the United States.
As an advocate for mental health, Leigh's work is designed to facilitate important conversations as well as make practical contributions. Her work as an educator and arts facilitator assists others to create from a place of authenticity and purpose.
Leigh is based between New Zealand and Germany with her husband.