Doris Leeper
Dublin Core
Title
Doris Leeper
Alternative Title
Doc Leeper
Subject
Art--United States
Painting--Florida
New Smyrna Beach (Fla.)
Description
Known to many as "Doc," Doris Marie Leeper was a trailblazing abstract painter and sculptor based in Eldora, Florida, near New Smyrna Beach. Originally from North Carolina, Leeper found an artistic oasis in Central Florida. The region provided her with the space to buy a house and work in relative isolation, but also augmented her interest in natural preservation. Today, the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve remains a testament to her environmental dedication. Leeper’s impact on Central Florida also became apparent through her support for institutions; for example, she was a founder of the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach. Leeper’s local legacy manifests itself most profoundly through her artistic production. Her bold lines, strong color palette, and propensity for clean lines aesthetically aligned her with minimalism.
Leeper’s painting evolved from representational to non-objective over time. She embraced a language of abstraction more typical of the prevailing New York art world in the 1960 and 1970s, as opposed to the dominant aesthetic in Florida during the same time period. She showed her work locally and regionally with regularity. Her work was celebrated by significant solo exhibitions at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. The process of mining local histories yields the legacies of talented artists who have often been discarded from mainstream narratives. When one engages deeper with Leeper’s work, it is not difficult to conclude that her myriad two- and three-dimensional works are worthy of not only a local, but a national story.
Leeper’s painting evolved from representational to non-objective over time. She embraced a language of abstraction more typical of the prevailing New York art world in the 1960 and 1970s, as opposed to the dominant aesthetic in Florida during the same time period. She showed her work locally and regionally with regularity. Her work was celebrated by significant solo exhibitions at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. The process of mining local histories yields the legacies of talented artists who have often been discarded from mainstream narratives. When one engages deeper with Leeper’s work, it is not difficult to conclude that her myriad two- and three-dimensional works are worthy of not only a local, but a national story.
Source
Original black and white photograph: Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Winter Park, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1929-2000
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph.
Is Part Of
Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Winter Park, Florida.
Art Legends of Orange County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
21.8 KB
Medium
1 black and white photograph
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Eldora, Florida
Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by the Cornell Fine Arts Museum and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
External Reference
"Doris Leeper: SCULPTOR, PAINTER." Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida of Department of States. http://dos.myflorida.com/cultural/programs/florida-artists-hall-of-fame/doris-leeper/.
Moore, Roger. "Doris Leeper Was A `Force For The Arts': The Atlantic Center For The Arts Was Among The Volusia Woman's Many Creations." The Orlando Sentinel, April 12, 2000. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2000-04-12/news/0004120103_1_smyrna-beach-new-smyrna-leeper.
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 black and white photograph
Collection
Citation
“Doris Leeper,” RICHES, accessed May 20, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/5343.