“Leri’s paintings and welded steel sculptures, whether curvy or linear, are pure expressions of abstract form. ”

— Coco Myers

“As a young person, my need to create art was nurtured by my uncle, who himself was a painter and sculptor. My early training was in figurative sculpture, and my style ultimately developed from representational to abstract sculpture and mixed media conceptual works. I also paint and often create works using both disciplines. Curved shapes, clean minimalist lines, and abstract designs are common themes.” — DL

Dennis Leri was born in Brooklyn, NY and was raised in a family of artists. He attended the Arts Students League, National Academy of Fine Art, the Brooklyn Museum Art School and the Sculpture Center. He lives and maintains a studio in Springs, East Hampton.

Leri’s work has been shown in numerous shows, at Gerald Peters Galleries, New York, NY and Santa Fe, NM; The Southampton Cultural Center, and Peter Marcelle Project, Southampton, NY: Ille Arts, Amagansett, NY; folioeast, East Hampton, NY; Dodds & Eder Sculpture Garden and Robert Hook Gallery, Sag Harbor, NY; Art Hamptons and The White Room Gallery, Bridgehampton, NY, among others. His work has been awarded Best Sculpture and Best Mixed Media at the Guild Hall Museum of East Hampton.

DENNIS LERI

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ARTIST'S CAROUSEL

rotating exhibit of current & recently sold painting

Turn, painted welded steel, 96 x 14 x 12 in, $15,000

Opposites Attract, painted welded steel, 80 x 17 x 10 in, $11,000

Contemplation #3, painted welded steel, 132 x 30 x 24 in, $30,000

Pure Form #8, painted welded steel, 85 x 30 x 24 in, $15,000

Acute Obtuse, 2017, painted welded steel, 132 x 60 x 48 in, $30,000

Pure Form #5, 2014, painted welded steel, 96 x 28 x 28 in SOLD

Yellow Convergence, 2015, painted welded steel, 20 x 7 x 5 in, $3,500

Blue Ribbon #2, 2015, painted, welded steel, 80 x 16 x 20 in, SOLD

Yellow Ribbon, 2013, painted welded steel, 48 x 14 x 16 in, $10,000

Blue Curl, 2018, painted welded steel, 24 x 12 x 13 in, $7,000

Pure Form #9 (Leaf Green), 2018, painted welded steel, 50 x 20 x 13 in, $10,000

Signorina, 2013, painted welded steel, 20 x 12 x 6 in, $3,500

Come Fly with Me, 2010, blackened, welded steel, 18 x 9 x 4 in, SOLD

Curve View, 2008, polished, welded steel, 16 x 8 x 6 in, SOLD

Feature Article, 2010, polished welded steel, 24 x 60 in, $7,000

Leri's work in situ

Leri in situ

Spring Green, 2018, painted welded steel, 29 x 26 in, $4,000

Turquoise, 2016, painted welded steel, 48 x 30 in, $8,000

Summer Blue, 2018, acrylic on layered wood, 23 x 18 in, $3,000

Weathered Turquoise, 2016, acrylic on layered wood, 25 x 23 in, $3,500

Urban Cadence #5, 2011, blackened, welded steel, 17 x 14 in, SOLD

'55 Ford Meadow Green, 2011, riveted painted aluminum, 49 x 43 x 2 in, $6,000, SOLD

Constructions #1, 2020, painted welded steel and wood, 13 x 9.75 x 2, $1,800

Constructions #2 , 2020, acrylic on wood, 19.5 x 11 x 2, $1,800

DENNIS LERI speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS

CM/ WHAT MEDIA ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN?

DL/ Sculpture: painted, welded steel. Paintings: Acrylic on wood panel, canvas.

CM/ WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU PRIMARILY USE? AND WHY?

DL/ Steel because of its strength and flexibility; wood, metals, and acrylic paints because of the range of opportunities for expression.

CM/ YOU ARE CLEARLY AN ABSTRACT ARTIST. HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN?

DL/ My early training was in figurative sculpture, and my style ultimately developed from representational to abstract sculpture and mixed media conceptual works. I also paint and often create works using both disciplines. Curved shapes, clean minimalist lines, and abstract designs are common themes.

CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK?

DL/ My studio is located on my property in Springs. It is primarily for painting and mixed media work. I have an outdoor space where I do the steel work.

CM/ DO YOU OFTEN INTERACT WITH OTHER ARTISTS THAT LIVE/WORK OUT HERE?

DL/ In the more than 30 years that I have lived here, I have had the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with well established abstract artists who lived and worked in this area, including Ibram Lassaw, Robert Richenburg, Ray Ferren, William King, Eric Ernst, Dan Christensen and Berenice D'Vorzon.

PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW of sculpture