HARVEY LEEPA (1887-1977), Abstraction, ca. 1962, Watercolor on paperboard, 26” x 16”

Harvey Leepa

(1887 – 1977)

Biography

Born in Lepaya, Latvia

1905

First trip to the U.S., accompanying his father, a Russian army officer, to the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Tours the U.S. with his father, including a visit to the Santa Barbara area in California, where he settles later in life.

1904–1907 Oxford University, England

1908 Studies art in Riga, Latvia, and St. Petersburg, Russia

1910–1916 Studies in Paris at Academie Julian under Jean-Paul Laurens, at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and at Academie de la Grande Chaumiere. Studies in Spain with Ignacio Zuoloaga. Studies in Germay under Hugo von Habermann

1937 Departs from expressionism, begins first experiments with his mature signature abstract expressionist painting technique, predating Hans Hoffman, which he calls Fluxism

1919–1942 Moves to the United States, maintains studio and art gallery in New York, teaches at Columbia University. Operates art galleries in Paris, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara, California.

1942 Settles in Santa Barbara County community of Summerland, embarks on long period of developing Fluxism paintings

1977 Dies in Summerland

EXHIBITIONS
2019 The Incredible True Story of Harvey Leepa, Sullivan Goss
1974 California Expressions, Palm Springs Art Museum
1969 HARVEY LEEPA: Fluxism, Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles
1969 California Watercolor Society Exhibition, Laguna Beach Art Association (prize)
1969 California Watercolor Society Exhibition, Oakland Art Museum (prize)
1969 Palm Springs Art Museum
1969 One-man exhibition, City of Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, California
1968 Landscapes, Lytton Center of the Visual Arts, Oakland CA
1968 One-man exhibition, Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego (now San Diego Museum of Art), Balboa Park, San Diego, California
1968 One-man exhibition, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco, California
1967 HARVEY LEEPA: Fluxism, Phoenix Art Museum
1967 HARVEY LEEPA: Fluxism, Santa Barbara Museum of Art