Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork

Welcome, and please enjoy this website dedicated to beadwork sculptures by Leslie B. Grigsby. Leslie, a career museum professional, lives in Wilmington, Delaware and creates her artworks in glass seed beads and thread, sometimes over cores made of wood or other materials. Technical assistance, especially regarding woodworking and assembly, was provided by Leslie’s husband Lindsay Grigsby, until his sad loss in 2021. He is sorely missed.

Leslie’s works variously are inspired by science fiction, science fact, art history and/or Nature. They are included in private or institutional collections in the United States, Canada and Australia and have been exhibited at venues in the US, Canada, and Africa.

Contact Leslie Grigsby: LBGrigsby@verizon.net

2022

• Exhibited. “Water / Ways: Thinking Downstream,” Massoni Art, Chestertown, MD (April 1-May 4). View video.  Over the Moon and Under the Sun with additional images.
• Single Artist Virtual Presentation.  Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork, Toronto Bead Society (March 9, 2022).
• Work in progress. Head in the Clouds.

2021

• Work joins private collection of board member of Museum of Art & Design, NYC. Life on the Edge (Gull).
• Exhibited. New Now IV (May 19-June 19, 2021), InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia. Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Single Artist Virtual Presentation.  Perceptions as Self-Portraits: Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork, April 30, 2021. View recording. Event related to digital Portraiture exhibition by Manifold Global.
• Work published. Annual American Artwork (2021) juried collection of contemporary painting, photography, sculpture, and craft. Printed Hong Kong, China, late 2020. International distribution.  Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Work completed. Life on the Edge (Gull).

2020

• Work joins private collection. Freedom Cubed: Air.
• Works included in virtual tour. Curating Philadelphia as the Capitol of Craft, virtual Craft Tour presented by James Renwick Alliance and Craft NOW Philadelphia (Aug. 2, 2020). Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is and Life Desaturated (Squirrel) in Gravers Lane Gallery catalogue, available to registrants.
• Work completed. Under the Sun.
• Work completed. Over the Moon.
• Exhibited and work mentioned. Edith Newhall, “In Philly galleries: Top-notch craft art, and a noteworthy solo debut,” The Philadelphia Inquirer (March 14, 2020), review of “Une Exposition d’Arts Obsessionels de la Fibre,” featuring 40 fiber artists at Gravers Lane Gallery, Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia).
• Work published. Life Desaturated (Squirrel), American Craft Council magazine (Home Issue, Feb./Mar. 2020). See “Contemporary Craft,” inside back cover (Gravers Lane Gallery).
• Juried membership (accepted). InLiquid Art+Design (Philadelphia region artists).

2019

• Exhibited. Gravers Lane Gallery, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA. Several recent works.
• Work completed. Just Beneath the Surface (Sea Turtle).
• Work completed. Freedom Cubed (Air), part one of new Four Elements series.
• Work completed and joins private collection. It Dawned on Me (Airplane).
• Work returns from loan exhibition in Africa. Art in Embassies program of US Department of State, exhibited at US Embassy, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa (Spring 2016 – 2019), Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.

2018

• Work completed. Babe in the Woods (Bush Baby).
• Work completed. I’m All Ears! (Margay).

2017

• Exhibited. World On A String: Exploring Contemporary Interpretations of Bead Work, Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA (July 11-September 2, 2017). Life Desaturated (Squirrel).
• Work completed. Babe in the Woods (Bush Baby).
• Work completed. Life Desaturated (Squirrel).
• Works join private collections. Piece of Pennsylvania, Fountain of Youth (Fawn), Social Climber (Squirrel), Jeannie’s Koi, and Ray Gun No. 5.
• Exhibited. (Single artist loan exhibition) Private Thoughts: Beadwork Sculpture by Leslie Grigsby for the New York Ceramics & Glass Fair, NYC (January 18-22, 2017). Published online in ArtFix Daily: Curated Art World News & Exclusives. Loan exhibition and Teapot: If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Fish! published in Lita Solis Cohen, “The New York Ceramics & Glass Fair,” Maine Antiques Digest, April 2017, pp. 22-D to 25-D (see 22-D and 23-D).

2016

• Work completed. Social Climber (Squirrel).
• Work completed. Fountain of Youth (Fawn).
• Exhibited. Art in Embassies, US Embassy (US Department of State), Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa (Spring 2016 – 2019), among other US artists’ works. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Exhibited. Teapots! 10th Artists Invitational.  Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (April-May, 2016).  Collaboration with Lindsay Grigsby.  Rocky Start (Koi) Teapot.
• Husband/wife collaboration featured.  Lisa Fieldman, “The Intersection of Love and Art”, West Chester & Chadds Ford Life (Spring/Summer 2016), pp. 76-80.

2015

• Work in progress. Rocky Start (Koi) Teapot towards Teapots! 10th Artists Invitational.  Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA.  (See 2016.)
• Exhibited. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is at Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia (December 2015 – January 2016).
• Work completed. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Work joins private collection. The Four Elements (Helmets) Series.

2014

• Work in progress.  Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Exhibited. 9th International Fiber Biennial at Snyderman Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA (March 7, 2014 to April 26, 2014).  Hide (Fawn), Ray Gun, No. 5 and the Southern to the Core Bowl.
• Work completed, joins private collection.  Hide (Fawn).

2013

• Work in progress.  Hide (Fawn).
• Work joins private collection.  Changing Spots (Amur leopard)
• Exhibited & published.  The Artists of Winterthur: A Collective Exhibition, The Oxford Art Alliance, Oxford, PA (September 6-28, 2013).  Featured in John Chambless, “A concern for the past unites Winterthur artists,” Chester County Press (September 11, 2013).  Show featuring past and present employees of Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE.
• Commission completed.  Jeannie’s Koi for private collector, Vancouver, BC.
• Exhibited. “The Beadmaker’s Art: Inspired by the Book 35 Artists Innovate with Beads” (August 1-September 7, 2013), Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA.  Show featured in critic’s choice section of  the Boston Globe, “The Week Ahead: Theater, galleries, and museums,” August 14, 2013.  (Raygun No. 5 and Southern to the Core.)
• Work published.  Suzanne Golden, Suzanne Golden Presents: 35 Artists Innovate with Beads (Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, NYC, 2013), pp. 94-99.  Seven sculptures  featured: Egyptian Teapot, Fish teapot, Raygun No. 3 and Four Elements (Helmet series.
• Exhibited & featured work.  Snyderman Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.  Changing Spots (Amur leopard). Featured Work on gallery site.

2012

• Exhibited.  Reactor Gallery, Toronto, Canada (November 2012 – January 2013).
• Featured online.  Daily Art Muse (April 24, 2012 post).
• Work completed.  Changing Spots (Amur leopard)
• Commission completed.  Egyptian Teapot for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC.

2011

• Work joins NASA Collection after becoming finalist in 2010 competition. Rocket Ship No. 2 .
• Work in progress.  Egyptian Teapot, a commission for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC.

2010

• Contest finalist.  NASA/Etsy Space Craft Contest, 3D space craft division.  Rocket Ship No. 2. 
• Exhibited.  Rittenhouse Hotel Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited.  Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited.  Turning Point Gallery, Media PA.
• Work published online. Mary Douglas, “Fiber Finds from the Kamm Teapot Collection,” Fiberarts Magazine (September/October 2010 issue). Work included: If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Teapot!   
• Work published online.  “Seen: Pittsburgh Gallery Overflows with Teapots”, GLASS Quarterly Hotsheet (April 2010). Work included: Eclipse Teapot .
• Exhibited & work joins private collection.  The 4th Annual Teapots! Invitational (opened April 9, 2010).  The Morgan Gallery, Pittsburgh PA. View the exhibition.  Eclipse Teapot.
• Exhibited.  The 7th International Fiber Biennial (February 5 – March 20, 2010). Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia.  Four Elements (Helmet series).

2009

• Commission completed.  If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Fish! for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC
• Exhibited.  Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA

2008

• Exhibited.  (Snyderman-Works Galleries) Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA), 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring)
• Exhibited.  Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
• Exhibited.  Turning Point Gallery, Media, PA

2007

• Exhibited.  Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA), 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring).  Display of work shown by Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited.  Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited.  Blue Streak Gallery, Wilmington, DE.

2006 – 2014

• Exhibited.  Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited 2006 and later.  Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA).  Venues: Navy Pier, Chicago, IL (Fall); 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring).  Display of work shown by Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.

1999 – present

• Curator, then Senior Curator of Ceramics and Glass, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur, DE.

MEMBERSHIPS (Selected): American Craft Council; InLiquid Art+Design (Philadelphia); James Renwick Alliance (JRA); American Ceramic Circle (Vice President, Past President); English Ceramic Circle