Leitha L. Thrall
Instagram: @leitha.l
Venmo: @Leitha-Thrall
Website: https://leithalart.com
Bio: Leitha received her BA in Studio Art in 1984 from San Jose State University. Prior to graduating, she briefly attended University of Hawaii at Manoa, before heading off to Europe for two years. The first year in Europe was spent in the international community of sculptors in Pietrasanta, Italy. There, she worked for established sculptors, such as Manuel Neri from the SF Bay Area, and Canadian sculptor, William McElcheran.
Leitha has worked at a few commercial art foundries. Monterey Sculpture Center, Fine Arts in Metal, and finally, Mussi Artworks Foundry. She has also cast her own work at the Crucible in Oakland. She has been active Pacific Rim Sculptors group in the Bay Area, serving as chairperson for a term, then recently treasurer, and secretary. She is a long standing member of the International Sculptors Center (ISC) and volunteered at the 15th International Sculptors Conference in San Francisco.
Leitha has shown in many local exhibitions and, throughout the U.S. and abroad, in national and international exhibitions. The settings are as diverse as in art centers, galleries, universities, and museums. She has received awards, a Puffin grant, and has been published in catalogues, newspaper articles, and has been featured in a sculpture book. Her sculptures are included in private and public art collections.
Statement: A person can have feelings of being hopeless and helpless, but can hide that behind a mask. The feelings can last for untold amounts of time until it can be dealt with by a change in behavior and/or a slow change in the mental state of mind.
THE PAIN OF CHAINS/THE NEED TO CHANGE is a symbolic sculptural manifestation of those feelings. Each chain adds weight and pulls down a person's life and mind.
There is always hope, though. Through a change in thought patterns and physical circumstances, one can drop the chains one by one and have a newer and wiser state of mind.
(I encourage the viewer to touch and feel the bronze sculpture.)
