Linda Ligocki

Linda Lee Ligocki lives in Winamac, Indiana. She has exhibited with Stola Contemporary in Chicago, IL and at Art Prize Grand Rapids 2023 in Grand Rapids, MI. Her work has been exhibited along with Clayton Lewis and Laura Bell.

Linda’s Artist Statement:

Art is my visual voice……art has always been my best friend.

Growing up in a small community didn’t hinder my passion for art. As long as I can remember, art has always been my best friend. As a child my Uncle would take me into Chicago, profound from my remote environment. He exposed me to the Chicago Art Institute, the Lyric Opera, the Chicago Symphony, the architecture, and the different cultures within the city which were beyond my rural vocabulary. I became intrigued and inspired; consequently, everything from that time period became my visual encyclopedia. 

Read more below:

painting by Linda Ligocki, "Corporate H2O

Corporate H2O

Watercolor 6″x6″ sold Exhibited

Watercolor of trash on beach

Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach

6×6 Exhibited juried show Stola Contemporary

painting of foliage

Without the Trees there is No Me

36×36 Acrylic on canvas Exhibited in Juried show Stola Contemporary Chicago

Survival" by Linda Ligocki.

Survival

Acrylic on canvas; 8×10 — 2024

Painting. Linda Ligocki; Toxic Death Before Me

Toxic Death Before Me

As he pens another prescription, the phrase “Toxic Death Before Me” haunts me. As I see that plane sprays toxicity upon the fields watching my trees wither and loose all their leaves. It isnt organic toxins but man-made synthetic toxic materials covered in orange and yellow, biohazard, and warning labels. It will never become organic matter. Waste that guarentees it becomes poison that slowly kills…I refused that pill for I see my future becoming that “Toxic Death Before Me”. –Acrylic on canvas, 12×12 2024

“My art is transitional phenomena layers. It exists between my internal and the external realities. Just as in life all seemingly cohesive outwardly but comes from inner subconscious chaos that is orchestrated into a harmony of coexistence. Everything I see, I hear, I touch, I smell and I emotionally feel become my visual vocabulary. My visuals and life cannot be articulated in few words or few works. My art has been driven by self-exploration, visual awareness, developing an innate sense of social awareness, and visual color phenomena. My art consists of layered designs and layered colors. The work is presented in glorious juxtaposed colors intertwined with dark underlying messages that invoke dialogue. It is an abstract cognitive surreal visual exposing a statement or conceptual thought. Expressing my visual “voice”, consequently, resulting in me no longer remaining silent. Art has become my meditation, my voice, my life, but most of all my best friend….and has kept me sane in my own weird way.

Through the years, my art has evolved from beautiful articulate still-lifes to whimsical large paintings of sinks full of dirty dishes, to drawings of situational experiences, to watercolors of human growth and development. An important element about my artwork is communication. I want to evoke and make a statement to antagonize, to react, to cause people to go outside of their realm. I have no preconceived picture. I only have the thought; thus, I start creating the image out of a spontaneous and visceral format. Technically I like to work in series until I have exhausted all the exploration; which becomes metaphysical….then I move on.

“Watercolor has a conservative history but to me it is expressive and allows creativity. The fluidity of the medium stimulates my sensitivity and expression, the mingling color interplay’s abstraction; therefore, energizes the subject’.

I love to work in watercolor and ink. The watercolor allows me to lay in wet raw color and then drop other color into it allowing the pigments to blend themselves. I love the fluidity. It is more visceral and spontaneous than oil or acrylic for me. After the initial laying, I then use numerous glazes to push and pull space within the area. I also glaze to move a particular area into a warm or cool feeling. I love working in a large format in watercolor. I work with the paper upright allowing the area to run and ooze into another.

In the ink drawings, I use a direct drawing technique. I do not have any pencil guidelines. I draw directly onto the paper in ink; consequently, forcing myself to really see, plan, and execute reactively the next line, then carefully plan the design step by step. This allows my mind to flow meditatively and become self-absorbed in the drawing. The process became purely spontaneous. The works are not premeditated; the work is evolutionary. The viewpoint may be mine but as a viewer, one can experience the interfacing dialog, allowing a dialectic nature of exploration.”

See more of her work at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/l-lee-heinsenligocki

Contact: Phone 307.321.9791
Email: essenceoflee@yahoo.com
Gallery Page on Website tortugainn.com
Art is also posted on the Tortuga Inn Facebook page, Instagram (essenceoflee@yahoo.com), and Threads.
Painting listings on: paintingsilove.co

Read more about Linda's exhibitions, teaching, critics' statements

CURATED/ JURIED SHOWS

Invitational and Juried Exhibitions

  • ARTPRIZE 2023, “Hands on Experience of Line and Color”, Time Based Entry, SILVA Center,
    Grand Rapid, MI. September 15-October 3, 2023
  • ARTPRIZE 2022 “MOONS MOODS”  Time Based Entry, DEVOS Place, Grand Rapids MI. September 15-October 3, 2022
  • ARTPRIZE 2020 “TIC-TAC-TOE”, Time Based Entry, Founders Brewery, Grand Rapids, MI.  September 15-October 1, 2020
  • “Broke, Fixed/Renewed” ARTHUB, Kingman, Arizona,   April – May 30, 2020,
  • “SOS PLANET EARTH” Stola Contemporary, Chicago IL USA,  July 30-September 12, 2021
  • “LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL: Stola Contemporary,  Chicago, IL USA,  June 2021
  • “ARTIST DIARIES” ARTS, Robin Rios, Zhou Art Center, Chicago, IL USA  April – August 2020
  • “RENEWED/BROKEN/FIXED”  ARTHUB Gallery, Kingman, AZ March –May 2020
  • “5×5”, May 2020, Depot Museum and Art Gallery, Beverly Shores, IN May 2020
  • “ARTIST SELF PORTRAITS” August 2019, SLAC,  Wildrose Brewery, Griffith IN
  • “5×5”  Depot Museum and Art Gallery, Beverly Shores, IN May 2019
  • “LOUD” SLAC, Wildrose Brewery, Griffith IN.   April 2018
  • ARTPRIZE 10  Harris Building, Grand Rapids, MI  September 15-Oct 7, 2018
  • “DPAP”  Duneland Plein Aire Painters” Exhibition, Southern Shore Art Association, Michigan City, IN 2018
  • “PATTERN, LIGHT, COLOR”  Southern Shore Art Association,, Michigan City, IN August 2017
  • “DPAP”  Duneland Plein Aire Painters, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN May 2017
  • “FRIDGE 2015”  Eric M Ginsburg curator, (part of Art Basel week: Holiday Inn, Miami Beach, FL  December 3-7, 2015
  • “DECOMPRESSION” Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, IL  January 3-7, 2015
  • “DAY OF THE DEAD” Indiana University Northwest, Gallery for Contemporary Art, Gary, IN   October 30- November 2, 2010
  • Santiagorigeiro INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 2010 SURREALISM
  • Surrealism Now, INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 2010 Juried Exhibit
        BISSAYA BARRETO MUSEUM HOUSE, SANT´ANNA CONVENT, COIMBRA, PORTUGAL, EUROPEAN UNION Idealization and coordination: Santiago Ribeiro
  • “HOMECOMING Uncle Freddy’s Favorite Artist Return to Hammond” October 24-26, 2008, Uncle Freddy’s Gallery, 5243 Homan Avenue, Hammond, IN
  • “A COUPLE OF ECCENTRICS” Under Indiana Skies: Pulaski County, July 21-August 6,2008, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, Indiana
  • “HANDS ON EXPERIENCE”, April 24-May24, 2008, Solo Exhibition, Uncle Freddy’s Gallery, Highland, IN
  • “DEFININ OUR ROLES”, A Celebration of Artwork by Women, NIAA, Munster, IN January 8-February 14, 1999. (Other artist included Gladys Nielsen, Hollis Sigler, Margaret Wharton)
  • “COLLABORATION IN ART AND MARRIAGE” Frankfort Library Friends of Art” Frankfort Library, Frankfort, IN
  • “REVERSING THE GAZE” Women looking at the male nude, IUN Northwest b Lorimer-Lundberg and Wollons: January 6-January 29, 1997
  • “NIA HEINSEN-BLANC-STENMEYER EXHIBITION” NIAA  Main Gallery, June 4th-June 25th, 1995
  • “MIDWEST MUSEUM 15 YEAR BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION EXHIBITION:” Invitational Show, Elkhart, IN
  • “CHAIR” LA LUNDA DESCALZA Juarex, 120 CP, Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico, Juried Invitational, Watercolors (3)

EXHIBITIONS

  • “ARTIST FOR CLIMATE AWARENESS” Online Exhibition Curated. Bloomington, IN Nov, 2024
  • “LAYERS”, Solo Exhibition, MBACD, Miller Beach Arts & Creative District, Curated by Larry Lapidus, August 20 – September 29, 2021, Gary, Indiana
  • “THROUGH MY EYES” Solo Exhibition, October-Nov 2020, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, IN
  • “CONTEMPLATING 70 YEARS”, Solo Exhibition, JUNE 2019, Depot Museum and Art Gallery, Beverly Shores, IN
  • 2017 “ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES”  Solo Exhibition, October 2017 Ellen Firm Gallery, Beverly Shores, IN
  • 2017-2018 “LIFE AS IT WAS…LIFE AS IT IS” Solo Exhibition, December 1-April 1, 2018 Top Hat Gallery, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI
  • 2011 “COUPLE OF ECCENTRICS May 1-30, 2011 Art Post Gallery, South Bend, IN
  • 2010 “A COUPLE OF ECCENTRICS”, April 9-30, 2011  Lee Heinsen-Ligocki and Gordon Ligocki, inSpirative Gallery, Garro Street, Plymouth, IN Gallery Owner/Director: Angela Leed
  • 2010 “  A COUPLE OF ECCENTRICS”, March 3-April 30, 2010: Lee Heinsen-Ligocki and Gordon Ligocki , Church Street Gallery, 1 S Washington, Easton, Maryland, Gallery Owner : Suzanne Hood
  • 2008 “A COUPLE OF ECCENTRICS” Lee Heinsen-Ligocki and Gordon Ligocki, IUN Northwest gallery for Contemporary Art,  Ann Fritz, Curator, 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN 46408
  • 2008 “HANDS ON EXPERIENCES”, Uncle Freddy’s Gallery, 2635 B Highway Ave, Highland, IN
  • 2003 “GATORS” Exhibition of Blown Tires, visual tire layout with written documentation of highway, state, time, spatial and position of tire residue setting on roadside, Uncle Freddy’s Hammond Art Forum, Hammond, IN
  • 2001 “NATURES CHILDREN” Solo Exhibition, by Design 457 Whitaker, New Buffalo, MI November 15-December 30 Watercolors
  • 2000 “BY THE LAKE” Spring Juried Competition, New Buffalo, MI, Watercolor $500.00 First Place Purchase Award
  • 1999 “BY THE LAKE” Spring Juried Competition, New Buffalo, MI, Oil, Purchase Award
  • “Midwest Museum of Art” Juried Competition 1999, Watercolor and Sculpture
  • 1998 “BY THE LAKE” Spring Juried competition, New Buffalo, MI $300 Purchase Award Watercolor, (Juried into competition 1997,1996,1995,
  • 1995 BEVERLY ART Center, Chicago, IL, Juried Invitational Juried, Watercolor (50”x 48”)
  • 1994 “BY THE LAKE” Juried Competition, New Buffalo, MI $300 Purchase Award
  • 1994 SOHO International Art Competition, Agora Gallery, NYC, NY Juried, Watercolors
  • Indiana University Northwest Literary Magazine National Cover Award “Spirits” Juried Cover Competition, First Place Cover Award
  • Heartland Artist National Exhibition, Plymouth, IN Juried Competition
  • 1994 Arthur E Baer Exhibition, Beverly  Art Center, Chicago, IL Juried ,Watercolor
  • 1993 IU Northwest Literary Magazine “Spirits”, Gary, IN Juried Competition
  • 1992, Gallery North, Solo Exhibition, “Mother Earth” Abstracts, New Buffalo, MI
  • 1992 Lake Worth Art League, Lake Worth, FL Juried Watercolor, Merit Award
  • Midwest Museum 14th Juried Exhibition; Elkhart, IN Juried, Watercolor
  • North Indian Arts Association 50th Salon Show, Munster, IN Juried, Watercolor
  • Friend of Frankfurt Public, Library, Frankfort, IN Juried Invitational, Watercolors and Workshop
  • LS Ayres Hoosier Salon Show, Indianapolis, IN Juried Traveling Show , Watercolor
  • SOLO Exhibition “Artist in Motion” Gallery North, New Buffalo, MI Press Review
  • 1992 LS Ayres Hoosier Salon Show, Indianapolis, IN Juried, Traveling Show
  • 1992 Colorado Springs 47th National Watercolor Show, Colorado Springs, CO, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1992 Colorado Springs Spring Juried Show, Colorado Springs, CO, Juried, Second Place Award
  • 1991 Western Watercolor Society National Exhibition, Western Watercolor Center for the Art, Grand Junction, CO, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 Midwest Museum of Art  Exhibition, Elkhart, IN Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 Batavia National Exhibition, Batavia Society of Artists, Batavia, NY Juried, Merit Award Watercolor
  • Art-Wyoming 91, West Wind Gallery National Show, Casper, WY, Juried, Watercolor
  • Aqueous Ninety-one, Kentucky Watercolor Society National Show; Louisville, KY, Juried Watercolor
  • Salmagundi 14th Annual Prestigious National Art Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, NY,NY, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 Colorado Springs 46th National Western Watercolor Show, Colorado Springs, CO, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 Colorado Springs Spring Show, Colorado Springs, CO, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 KODO Art and Guild Show, Colorado Springs, CO.  Juried, Watercolor
  • 1991 Southside Seven States Regional Show, Southside Art League, Indianapolis, IN Juried, First Place Award and a $500 Third Place Cash Award.
  • 1990 13th Annual Ohio Watercolor Society National Show, Juried, Watercolor
  • 1990 Southside Seven State Regional Show, Southside Art League, Indianapolis, IN , First Place Award $2000.00

EDUCATION

Ancilla College, Ancilla, IN Primary Education Degree Fine Art 1971, 2001
IU Northwest, Gary, IN 1992-1995; Fine Art, Communications, and Education
IUSB, South Bend, IN 1973-1974: Fine Art, Communication and Education Degree
Art Institute, Chicago IL, Abstract Painting and Drawing Classes 1969-1971

COMMUNITY SERVICE

“ART IN THE PARK”, Linda Lee (Heinsen) Ligocki developed and organized in 1977 the first art hands event in Pulaski County, Indiana called “ART IN THE PARK”. It was a painting event that encouraged children to participate. It had no visual criteria to follow. The event had age categories. It allowed children of all ages to participate. All the materials and supplies were provided; therefore, no child felt intimidated or left out due to financial, mental or physical handicaps. In 2024 this Art Event “ART ON THE PARK” continues through the volunteers of the Pulaski County Tribe Foundation, Winamac, Indiana

CLINICS (Mentors)

Irving Shapiro, Valfred Thelin, Frank Webb, Judy Betts, Konrad Juestel, Georg Rausch, Charles Movali, Ann Templeton, Ken Hosmer, Diane Maxey, Dave Sander, Mitch Markovich, Robert Hoffman, and Diane Tetzloff.

TEACHING, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES

Over the years I have taught painting and printmaking in my studio. Lee also does offsite personal portrait painting and clinical workshops.

• Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
• Hyderabadi, India
• Gallery26, Easton, Maryland
• Church Street Galley, Easton, Maryland
• Hammond Art Forum, Uncle Freddy’s, Hammond, IN
• Wabash Valley Watercolor Society, W Lafayette, IN
• Frankfort Friends of the Arts, Frankfort, IN
• Gallery North, New Buffalo, MI
• Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
• Riparian School of Art, Winamac, IN
• Hometown Holidays, Pulaski County Tribe, Community Service, Winamac IN 46996
• Logansport Art, Association, Logansport, IN
• Pulaski County Art in the Park, Winamac, IN
(A program I started to engage children in the arts. An annual free paint in event). Received Community Award
• Logansport Ballet, 1980s. Created Set and Stage Designs for the annual Nutcracker Ballet. Also created head pieces for the ballerinas and other cast. (This ballet was run by a Joffery Ballet School Graduate Ballerina)

CRITICS STATEMENTS:

“HOUSEWIFE “is a multi-story painting. You’re not sure if you should cry or smile at what you are seeing. Married or single-parent women can relate to this piece in one way or another. The dishes that are stacking up, food that needs to be prepared, the garden that needs attention and the mammary glands that have sucked her dry or could it mean cancer? The broken clock, the gun, the water spilling is this the woman’s final thread? This piece is typical of L Lee Heinsen’s (Ligocki) work. There are stories within stories. This work created conversation. Her pieces make you stop and look again and again. Ann Fritz- Director, Gallery for Contemporary Art, Indiana University Northwest, Indiana

“Lee, once again a great master piece from an absolute genius Like you, you know pretty well how much I admire you work. So let me start by quoting on your above piece of art work.
“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes…Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is emancipation of the mind. It is an explosion into unknown areas.” – Arshile Gorky
Only a true artist of your caliber and a great admirer like me will cherish the painting.
You as an artist have encapsulated a multidimensional abstract work, which is unique in itself. Your style comprises all kinds of symmetrical and Non Symmetrical combinations of planes and angles. Although it isn’t photo realistic. But there is a difference between being abstracted and being abstract.

Lee, Let me know when you are displaying your art work for sale, as you’re aware during your last art exhibition, I have purchased your art work for ……….. Your art exhibition will be on my priority list, so please keep me posted about it. Regards,” Michael Dexter, VP -Training and Development, London, UK

“I am always impressed that L Lee Heinsen-Ligocki can hide additional points of view in her drawings and paintings. Each time you look at her pieces, you see something that you missed the first time. …”.Dancing Trees” are full of life, and have souls. I can’t think of any other paintings of trees that capture the souls of the trees so well” Charles LaFrance, Professor, Graham, North Carolina

“I can appreciate most art – but I like the “from the gut” work – there is an authenticity of intent and emotion I really connect with…and a sense of thumbing one’s nose at tradition in the vein of personal expression…I find this irresistible…”March 20, 2010 by Jennifer Wagner, Gallery26, Easton, Maryland

“…she sees all pursuits…to share with viewers her own sense of wonder and delight while immersed in such visual richness. Ligocki operates in a realm where her artful connections demonstrate how images outpace words and reach a more essential area of consciousness…..While the viewer is frequently tempted to look at and understand depicted ritual gestures, glyphs, and symbols as material to be researched or explored for specific meanings, Ligocki in the work seems to disarm such heady pursuits…..“ Critical Review August 10, 2008 by Greg Hertzlieb, Director/Curator, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN (see entire critical review attached)

“She’s a very talented watercolorist who really knows her medium…She is brave in what she does and she’s very honest in what she says in her art, which is refreshing. “ The Times, Press release, April 25, 2008, by Linda Dorman co-owner and curator Uncle Freddy’s Gallery, Highland, IN

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