“The landscape and nature’s forms inspire and inform my ceramic sculptures and one of a kind pottery; the textures of driftwood, the shapes of leaves, the movement of waves, the interwoven patterns of the land meeting the sea, and the graceful birds who lend an elegance to the landscape. Sometimes the inspiration is translated literally in my work. At other times it becomes abstracted. While I am strongly attracted to the forms that nature provides me, I also feel that using nature in my work allows me speak softly about the human condition, and allows for a deeper, more personal connection to the viewer.”
Leslie Wentzell, Ceramic Artist
Raised in Southeastern Wisconsin, Leslie recalls that the entire out-of-doors was her playground. Growing up on Lake Michigan, the always changing moods of the lake were a constant source of wonder, seeming to reflect her own teenage moods. “Nature still holds a fascination for me, and it still seems to speak to and reflect our own human experiences.”
After raising three children and taking an active part in the family graphic arts business, Leslie returned to school, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts with a Ceramics Concentration from the University of Wisconsin at Parkside. “Art opened a door for me, allowing me to explore my experiences, my own inner emotions and connect them to those of others.”
Moving to the Florida Panhandle in 2006, Leslie ran an art studio and gallery, offering art experiences and pottery lessons to locals and tourists alike. Unsettled by the devastation of Hurricane Michael, and the inevitable rising of the sea, she relocated to Anderson, South Carolina in 2020, where the climate is more temperate, the flora more familiar and the Blue Ridge and its marvels is close by. “As much as I loved teaching, I am happy now to devote my time to my own art.” Since moving to Anderson, Leslie has won numerous awards for her sculptures.