Lacey Leonard, 30 / Assistant Gallery Director, Roanoke College
Lacey Leonard has dedicated her career to enriching the Roanoke art scene, serving as the Assistant Gallery Director at Roanoke College’s Olin Hall Galleries since 2017. She’s curated numerous exhibitions, mentored students and brought community-focused art programs to life. Her work goes far beyond the gallery, with her co-founding of VALLT Gallery to support underrepresented artists.
Through her own studio practice, Lacey exhibits regularly and remains an active voice in social activism and community education. “When I’m creating work that I’m truly passionate about, I believe it can inspire others to pursue their dreams and create their best work too. I feel grateful to have my work displayed in spaces throughout the community, leaving a physical impression as well,” she says. “As long as I’m here making art, that spirit will continue to spread.”
- BFA in Sculpture & Extended Media, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015
- 2022 Kegley Preservation Award for Histories of Enslavement Walking Tour
- 2021 Kendig Award for Olin Hall Galleries
- National Gold and Silver Key Awards from Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
- Faculty Distinguished Student Award, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Certified yoga and meditation instructor
Career Achievements and Activities
- Curated “On Jupiter” exhibition and co-curated over 10 additional shows
- Manages and promotes permanent collection of 1,400+ art pieces
- Mentors student Gallery Assistants and creates educational art programs
- Co-founded VALLT Gallery in 2019 to showcase underrepresented artists
- Artist-in-Residence for Northwest Roanoke, working on a community documentary film
- Active in The Center for Studying Structures of Race and other local initiatives
Community Involvement
- Developed “Walking Tour on The Histories of Enslavement” for Roanoke College
- Co-designed and researched “The Histories of Enslavement” Walking Tour, awarded Kegley Preservation Award in 2022
- Active participant in local activism, promoting structural change and artistic expression
- Exhibited in 8+ shows across various galleries in 3 years
- Recent exhibitions: “The Stately Mansion of Radiolaria” at Alexander Heath Contemporary Gallery
Volunteerism and Additional Involvement
- Completed Uttara Yoga’s 200-hour yoga teacher training
- Completed the Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2016 with husband Andrew Franklin
- Serves as a mentor to fellow artists and students in the Roanoke community
What do you love about Roanoke?
“As a transplant, I’ve found Roanoke to be a place that fosters personal growth, healing and gratitude. This place has truly become home, thanks to my husband Andrew, my mentor Taliaferro Logan, my friends and my family. I cherish the changing seasons, the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the kindness and resilience of Appalachian culture. There’s a slower pace here, the fresh air and the joy of less traffic—a refreshing change from Houston. Roanoke offers me long walks with my dog, writing poetry for every season, live music, hockey games, train sightings, stargazing, kayaking, hiking and hanging with the local artists who keep it weird. I love the Grandin Theatre, playing pool, farmers markets ripe with heirloom tomatoes, Richie Freeze burgers, Mountain Laurel in bloom and thrifting.”
How does your passion impact our community?
“When I’m creating work that I’m truly passionate about, I believe it can inspire others to pursue their dreams and create their best work too. For me, passion is about capturing an idea and bringing it to life and I hope that energy is contagious, encouraging others to follow their hearts. I feel grateful to have my work displayed in spaces throughout the community, leaving a physical impression as well. As long as I’m here making art, that spirit will continue to spread.”
From the Nomination: “Lacey Leonard … curated the exhibition “On Jupiter; Works from the Private Collection of Beth Rudin Dewoody” and co-curated 5 additional exhibitions by artists including Richard Pasquarelli, Donald Nield, Rob Wynne and more. She helps install, manage, catalog and promote every exhibition that the Olin Hall Galleries display. She helps coordinate opening and closing receptions and maintains the Galleries’ permanent collection of over 1,400 pieces of art. Additionally, she mentors and oversees the development of the Galleries’ student Gallery Assistants.
… Lacey is originally from Houston, TX, which makes Roanoke her adopted home. But the passion and energy she has given to this community is more than a lot of lifetime residents have done. There’s a through-line of community and diversity to all her endeavors that seeks to shine a light on people who have traditionally been overlooked by or excluded from the fine art world. Couple that with her appreciation for the environment and her professionalism and you have a dedicated, capable arts professional with a heart to match. Her curatorial abilities continually allow residents of the Roanoke Valley the opportunity to interact with world-class art that might otherwise never be seen here. In an age where most people only want to interact with ideas and people who make them comfortable, Lacey finds ways to engage with folks on the margins, educate would-be seekers and expand the imaginations of our community.”
