Leila Flaherty Fanner

Born in Los Angeles to an African American father and South African mother, Leila was raised in South Africa from the age of 3 and schooled at The JHB School of Art Ballet Drama and Music. She received a Best Actress Award at the Wits Play Festival of 1997, received training in computer graphic art and design and fine art tuition. While working fulltime she held small joint exhibitions at local venues in White River, Mpumalanga.

Leila studied at the Johannesburg National School of Art, Ballet, Drama and Music where she received a Best Actress award at the Wits Play Festival. She trained as a Graphic Designer and held her first water-colours exhibition called “Faux Masters” in 1993. This was the rendering of miniature copies of the great master painters Monet, Gauguin, Klimt and Van Gogh. She went on to hold other exhibitions in between working, studying, traveling and giving birth to her first son. She was also commissioned to produce artwork for furniture and textile design. At the end of 1999 she moved to Cape Town and continued to explore various art mediums while working in retail on design and photographic production.

Leila spent four years in media communications in the magazine industry – GQ and House & Garden amongst others. She worked as an independent Senior Art Director and Creative Director enjoying six years working on a wide range of projects for Woolworths. Throughout, Leila painted and worked on private commissions. After the birth of her second child she left corporate marketing to focus solely on her artistic career.

Exhibitions:
First exhibition “Faux Masters” a miniature water-colours exhibition held in Mpumalanga in 1993.
Watercolour studies of indigenous flora at the Baghdad Café Art Fair exhibited in 1995.
African Ochre Stills series exhibited at a joint exhibition at Casterbridge in 1998.
Abstract Art Exhibition’s in the Cape Quarter - 2006 and 2007


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