Background
David Brown and Hay House Artists, Catherine Christiano, Diana Perron and Molly Sullivan McDonald
For Leslie
Artist paintbox filled with six paintings by friends of Leslie
14 x 18 x 14 inches
2021
Dedicated to Leslie Farrell Concannon, kindred spirit and gifted artist, by her friends at the Hay House in Old Saybrook, CT. Leslie was a much-loved, elementary art teacher at NYC Grant Avenue Elementary in the Bronx. Just four short weeks prior to her untimely death, Leslie was giving out crayons, with free lunches, so that her students could continue to draw while in lockdown.
“ I trudge through fields, balance at the water's edge and wander through gardens to set up my easel. I paint plein air to be outside and be present with what the day has to offer. I feel very lucky to be able to spend days outside painting. I’m interested in how the ordinary world is revealed by light.” Leslie Concannon
Leslie was the inspiration for the artist lunch that met weekly every summer for the last ten years at David Brown’s Hay House in Old Saybrook. After a generous, potluck lunch and animated conversation, the group set-up their easels outdoors and joyfully painted the rest of the afternoon.
More than anything, she wanted to give her students the possibility of sharing the same sense of wonder she enjoyed when painting; she empowered them to shape their own world through art.
With the abrupt closure of schools on Friday, March 13, 2020, Leslie did what many of many teachers did. She quickly pivoted from in person instruction to fully remote art instruction. While learning new software and creating new lessons that she could share online, Leslie worried that many of her students would not have access to any art materials. The school continued to provide lunch for many students. Leslie worked along-side the cafeteria workers making sure that a box of crayons went home with each lunch recipient. She also spent countless hours personalizing comments about her students’ posted artworks. We are deeply saddened by her loss.
