"My work chronicles my search for the spirit that touches the soul through the female and floral forms with a focus on color, expression, strength and the concept of the sacred feminine." - Michelle Leivan
Educated at Fort Hays State University, Michelle Leivan has been distinguished as the featured visual artist at the Kansas River Valley Art Fair, Topeka Jazz Festival, Aaron Douglas Art Fair and has been nominated for the Kansas Governor's Artist Award. Her work has also been honored by being selected to hang in the Kansas capital building, including Governor Sebelius' conference room and for the Art in Embassies Program as part of the exhibition at the U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay in the U.S Embassy Residence in Asuncion.
Michelle has participated in one person shows and exhibits at the Manhattan Arts Center, Art Council of Topeka, True Art Gallery and Topeka Performing Arts Center. She has also exhibited in several juried competitions on the internet and in Soho New York. Her work is represented in the Ellis County Historical Archives as well as in several corporate and private collections.
Dealer Comments
"With provocative perspective and an unconventional palette, artist Michelle Leivan successfully captures the viewer within the spaces of her dramatic scenes." - Agora Gallery
"What a wonderfully subversive use of color" - Don Lambert
Customer Comments
"Michelle is a wonderful artist and very professional to work with." - Cheryl Logan
"I love having a Leivan, it brightens up my entire entryway" - Carol Turner
"I enjoy Michelle's wild flower series so much I had to have two!" - Karen Hiller
Selected Exhibitions
2009 Featured Artist – Solo Show Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Sanctuary Topeka KS
2009 April First Friday Art Walk – The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2009 “Rites of Spring” – Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2009 March First Friday Art Walk – The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2009 March – April Classic Bean – Group Show Topeka KS
2009 "Feminine Desert" - Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness Solo Show Topeka KS
2009 February First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2009 "Kansas Wildflowers" – Featured Artist Gorham City Hall Solo Show Gorham KS
2009 January First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2009 "Flower Power 2" - SouthWind Gallery Group Show Topeka KS
2009 "Art in the Abstract" - Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2009 "Kansas Wildflowers" – Featured Artist Topeka Art Guild Solo Show Topeka KS
2009 "Artists' Choice" - Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2008 "Blooming Good Time" - Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2008 "Far Away Places" - Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2008 November First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2008 Aaron Douglas Art Fair Art Fair Topeka KS
2008 "Celestial Correspondence" - New City Café One Person Show Topeka KS
2008 "Kansans Paint Kansas" - Topeka Art Guild Group - Jurried Show Topeka KS
2008 October First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group show Topeka KS
2008 November First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2008 Homes for the Holidays Collective Fundraiser for CASA Topeka KS
2008 "Gates and Portals" - Topeka Art Guild Group Show Topeka KS
2008 December First Friday Art Walk - The Art Collective Group Show Topeka KS
2008 "Mulvane Merriment" - Mulvane Art Museum Silent Auction Topeka KS
2008 Lawrence Art Guild Holiday Art Fair Group Show and Fund Raiser Lawrence KS
2007 15th Anniversary Show - SouthWind Gallery Group Show Topeka KS
2007 Aaron Douglas Annual Art Fair Featured Artist Topeka KS
2007 Fiesta Mexicana Art Show Group Show Topeka KS
2007 Governor Sebelius’s Secretary of Appointments Office Solo Show Topeka KS
2007 Vintner’s Cellar Group Show Kansas City MO
2007 Waldo Pizza Group Show Lee’s Summit MO
2007 Starbucks Group Show Kansas City MO
2007 Dunn Bros Coffee Group Show Overland Park KS
2007 Figuratively Speaking - SouthWind Gallery of Topeka Group Show Topeka KS
2006 Aaron Douglas Annual Art Fair Art Fair Topeka KS
2006 Agora Gallery Group Show Soho NYC
2006 "Celestial Correspondence" - Arts Council of Topeka Solo Show Topeka KS
2006 Governor Sebelius's Conference Room Group Show Topeka KS
2006 SouthWind Gallery of Topeka Group Show Topeka KS
2006 Fiesta Mexicana Art Show Group Show Topeka KS
2005 TPAC “ Topeka Jazz Festival” Featured Artist Topeka KS
2004 Kansas City Artist Coalition Art Auction Auction Kansas City KS
2004 Topeka Performing Arts Center “Grape Escape” Auction Topeka KS
2004 Topeka Arts Council “Mardi Gras” Auction Topeka KS
2003 Topeka Collegiate “A Night on the Town” Auction Topeka KS
2003 Topeka Arts Council “Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!” Auction Topeka KS
2002 Topeka Collegiate “A Night to Remember” Auction Topeka KS
2002 Topeka Arts Council “Fat Tuesday" Auction Topeka KS
2001 True Art Gallery Solo Show Topeka KS
2001 Modern Day Masters - http://www.moderndaymasters.com Group Show Online Internet
2001 "Feminine Desert" Manhattan Arts Center Solo Show Manhattan KS
2000 Nominated for 2000 Kansas Governor's Artist Award
2000 Kansas River Valley Art Fair - Gage Park Featured Artist Topeka KS
2000 Virgo-2000 - http://www.GemArt.net Best of Show Internet
2000 Thursday Live - Downtown Life Demonstration Topeka KS
2000 ERC Designers Show House Picked by Designer Topeka KS
2000 The Art Source - http://www.TheArtSource.com Group Show Online Internet
1999 Kansas River Valley Art Fair - Gage Park Art Fair Topeka KS
1998 Kansas River Valley Art Fair - Gage Park Art Fair Topeka KS
1996 BFA Exhibition - Hays Arts Center Solo Show Hays KS
1996 Student Honors Exhibition - Moss-Thorns Gallery; FHSU Senior Honors Commendation Hays KS
1995 Peach Blossoms - Fort Hays State University Campus Solo - Installation Hays KS
1995 Creative Arts Society 1st Annual Scholarship Exhibition Stone Gallery; Gold Scholarship Received. Hays KS
1995 Student Honors Exhibition - Moss-Thorns Gallery FHSU Scholarship Received Hays KS
1994 Pink Passion - Fort Hays State University Campus Solo Installation Represented in the FHHS Archives Hays KS
1994 Student Honors Exhibition - Moss- Thorns Gallery FHSU Group Show Hays KS
1994 10+1 Student Art Show - Hays Arts Center Group Show Hays KS
1992 Go Go Gadget Student Show - on the Mall Group Show Hays KS
Selected Collections
American Investors Financial Corporation, KS
Mize Houser Accounting Firm, KS
Isidro Dunbar Home Collections, KS
Cenk & Donna Colpan, Turkey
Jose Sinde, Spain
Nicholas & Maureen Mandrak, KS
Marc Campbell, KS
Tish Rogers, KS
Janine Klingman, CA
Guy & Lisa Giroux, KS
Todd Reeves, KS
Jorge Saiz, KS
Dan & Carolanne Turner, KS
Mark & Cynthia Buck, KS
Ami Hyten, KS
Kendra Tinsley, KS
Duane Bond, KS
Aaron & Karen Anderson, KS
Cheryl Logan, KS
Karen Hiller, KS
Kim & Joe Mason, KS
Education
B.F.A. Painting Fort Hays State University
FHSU Dean’s Honor Roll
National Dean’s List
