Robert Leedy: Watercolors at Kingsley Plantation

From the Exhibition Statement:

Years ago, I was on a plane returning to Jacksonville to visit family from my then-home in the cold, dark winter of Northern Europe. As the pilot sharply banked the plane to drop altitude before landing, I peered out the window and saw a vibrant tapestry of islands, woodlands, marshes, creeks, and rivers below. It sparked something within me, a deep recognition that this was where I truly belonged. 

I am a native son. Born in Winter Haven, Florida, I grew up in Jacksonville from an early age. The St. Johns River and the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean were the playgrounds shaping my childhood and adolescence in profound ways.  As a teenager, my best friend’s family owned a small island property not far from here. My friend and I spent many weekends on that island camping, fishing, hunting, harvesting oysters, crabbing, exploring, swimming out to sandbars, covering ourselves in estuary mud, laughing, marveling at sunsets, and telling stories over campfires. It was a coming of age in incredible surroundings. We were keen observers of nature and developed enormous respect for the cycles of life and seasons of the natural world beyond our usual suburban environs. 

Since returning to Jacksonville in 2010, I am continually drawn to Kingsley Plantation as a plein air painter. The plantation’s architecture and rich history, set against the backdrop of a unique landscape, have inspired my work and fueled my passion for capturing the essence of this place through art. The setting alone is inspiring; visitors to Kingsley experience a step back into time and a view of untouched nature as soon as they turn off of Hecksher Drive.

I want to thank the National Park Service for allowing me to participate in the Artist in Residency program through which I was able to create the paintings before you. It is an honor to have my work highlighted and be a part of the visitor’s experience. I would also like to thank the National Park Service for their ongoing and dedicated stewardship of a national treasure here in our backyard known as The Kingsley Plantation.

My work celebrates the intrinsic qualities of watercolor. With its transparency and freshness, watercolor brings blank paper to life. I love bold, luminous color, loose washes and always aim to capture the spirit of a scene through its unique light. I invite you to immerse yourselves in the sights and stories that have shaped my artistic journey, as we celebrate the beauty and spirit of Jacksonville and its surrounding landscapes. Thank you for joining me on this exploration of home.   

– Robert Leedy, January 2024

Visit www.robertleedywatercolors.com to see more of the works.