If I am successful in receiving the £10,000 bursary, I will use the funding to deepen and expand my portraiture practice, which centres on exploring the complexities of the human experience through oil painting. This support will allow me to invest in high-quality materials, studio time, and critical research, enabling me to push the scale, technique, and emotional depth of my work.
A significant portion of the bursary would go towards developing a new body of large-scale portraits that examine identity and vulnerability. I plan to work closely with a diverse range of sitters in and around Darlington, creating space for conversation and reflection, and using these dialogues to inform the visual language of the paintings. The funding would also support travel and time to connect with new communities, helping me broaden the representation within my work.
Additionally, I would use the bursary to challenge myself to take greater risks and expand my understanding of oil painting as a medium and explore colour in a new and vibrant way, pushing the boundaries of realistic painting.
This award would mark a pivotal point in my artistic development, allowing me to a more ambitious body of work. Ultimately, I hope to use this opportunity to create a powerful, cohesive series of portraits that can be exhibited publicly, inviting viewers to connect more deeply with the emotional and psychological landscapes of others.
My work, rooted in portraiture and the exploration of human experience, is deeply engaged with the act of storytelling—amplifying individual voices and shared emotion through oil painting. I believe this approach has the potential to resonate strongly with communities in Darlington, a town with a rich cultural history and a growing creative landscape.
Through creating new portraits that feature local residents—particularly those whose stories are underrepresented—I would aim to build a body of work that reflects the diversity, strength, and complexity of life in Darlington today. By engaging directly with the community, offering workshops or open studio sessions, I hope to make the artistic process accessible and inclusive, creating a platform for dialogue and connection through visual art.
Exhibiting this work locally, whether in galleries, public spaces, or community venues, would invite viewers to see themselves and their neighbours reflected through a new lens—fostering a sense of pride and visibility while contributing to the wider cultural conversation in the North East.
By bringing a fresh perspective to traditional portraiture and grounding my work in collaboration and community engagement, I aim to support Darlington’s creative identity and contribute meaningfully to its artistic future.
I am a Northeast based portrait artist whose practice centres on creating Portraits with Purpose—paintings that honour personal stories and invite meaningful dialogue around often overlooked or sensitive topics. My work is rooted in a belief that portraiture can go far beyond representation; it can be a vehicle for empathy, healing, and social connection. Over recent years, I have developed a series of socially engaged portrait projects that aim to raise awareness and celebrate resilience. One of my most significant collaborations has been with St Oswald’s Hospice on Portraits with Purpose: Continuing Bonds. This project involved creating 12 portraits of individuals supported by the hospice, including bereaved and pre-bereaved families. The paintings were displayed during Dying Matters Week at Newcastle Civic Centre and later exhibited at Newcastle Cathedral, offering a powerful space for reflection and shared experience around grief, love, and remembrance. Another meaningful project is Breastfeeding the Brave, a collaboration with Lyndsey Hookway, an international lactation consultant and author. This ongoing series of oil portraits highlights the strength, vulnerability, and diverse realities of breastfeeding. By sharing the lived experiences of mothers from different backgrounds, the project seeks to challenge stigma, normalise breastfeeding in public spaces, and spark open conversations about maternal health and support. In parallel with my community-focused work, I was recently commissioned to paint four official portraits of the Principals of Durham University. These formal oil paintings celebrate leadership, academic legacy, and the individuals who have shaped the university’s identity. This commission allowed me to further develop my technical practice while contributing to a legacy collection of institutional portraiture. Most recently, I collaborated with the Human Milk Foundation on Connecting Hearts – Portraits with Purpose, a project honouring both donor and recipient families in the human milk network. These portraits reveal powerful personal stories of loss, generosity, and hope, bringing visibility to the quiet heroism behind human milk donation. Whether through formal commissions or socially engaged projects, my practice is unified by a commitment to authentic storytelling, emotional honesty, and connecting people through paint.
Fine Art Degree from Northumbria University 2001-2004 receiving a 2:1
In 2016 I Co-Founder and became Creative Director of Thought Foundation CIC, my artistic practice is deeply entwined with my commitment to creating accessible, thought-provoking spaces where art, community, and social change intersect. Thought Foundation was an arts and cultural space based in Birtley, Gateshead, which I co-established to champion creativity, conversation, and community wellbeing through a multidisciplinary, inclusive approach (we closed in 2020 during Covid.
As Creative Director of Thought Foundation, I curate exhibitions and experiences that challenge perceptions and promote positive societal impact. We hosted a diverse programme of exhibitions, workshops, and community events, from emerging artist showcases to climate-focused installations. My leadership role allowed me to support other artists, mentor young creatives, and ensure the arts remain a vital and inclusive part of the local cultural landscape.
Whether through my individual practice or collaborative curatorial work, my goal is to use creativity as a force for connection, compassion, and change.
Yes Gateshead Council, recently commissioned 5 portraits of local mums and babies to be displayed in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Family Hubs across Gateshead.
Durham University has commissioned in total 4 portraits of the Principals of their colleges.
Bradford Teaching Hospital purchased a portrait for their public collection. Royal Victoria Infirmary purchased 10 prints of my paintings for their midwife led unit.
I have been featured in Newcastle Chronicle Newspaper for a variety of my projects and featured on ITN news with a focus on the St Oswalds Hospice project.
Email: leannepearce@yahoo.co.uk
Address: 88 Moorside North, Fenham, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, NE4 9DU, GB
Local Authority: Newcastle Upon Tyne
