About
Leslie Hartnett was born and grew up in Houston, Texas, the oldest of seven children born to architect parents. While a student at Rice University, with a major in French literature, she took a year off to study French and history of art in Tours and Nice, traveling to Italy as often as possible. Thus began a long love affair with France and Italy.
In 1965 Leslie graduated from Rice University and signed up to work in Nigeria for the Peace Corps. On her return, she moved to New York City to work in Spanish Harlem for the Department of Welfare. She had been employed by the Metropolitan Museum for several years when she met her future husband, sculptor Sean Hartnett.
She and Sean moved to Woodstock, N.Y. and married there in 1969. Soon after, they decided to go to Pietrasanta, Italy, a town in Tuscany renowned for its proximity to the marble quarries of Carrara and a draw to sculptors from all over the world. Their first child, Amoreena, was born there while Sean was learning marble carving from the old masters. For the following six years they lived in Pietrasanta and during that time their son, Cully, was born.
Leslie's creativity first took the form of wonderfully inventive hooked rugs, hooked with strips of cloth or yarn she would dye herself, using natural dyes when possible. From rugs Leslie moved to painting.
In 1983 the Hartnetts moved to Florence where they lived for 4 years. During this time Leslie obtained a degree in the restoration of fine oil paintings from the state Istituto per l'Arte e di Restauro, Palazzo Spinelli, and launched a career in this field while continuing to produce original works.
In 1987 the Hartnetts moved back to the U.S. and settled in New Haven, CT where Leslie started experimenting with ceramics. She found a powerful avenue for her creative drive in the process of hand building beautiful bowls and platters, concentrating on the use of wonderfully colorful majolica glazes to create flower, fruit and vegetable decorations.
In 1995, with both children grown and pursuing careers of their own, Leslie and Sean moved back to Pietrasanta where they are happiest working. They spend the summer months on Block Island, RI where they have a home and studios on Southwest Point.
Most recently she was inspired by a mosaic found in Pompeii of sea creatures and has been creating canvas floor cloths that can also be hung on the wall. In the previous two years she painted still lifes of fruits and vegetables with recipes to go with each painting, and then made two books called “Eat the Paintings.”
During the winter months in Italy, Leslie works in her studio in Pietrasanta, and then her summer home on Block Island becomes a gallery where she shows the works for which she has become well known.
