Leah Day
abstract SURREALIST Creative
I am Leah Day.
Who
Originally from the wilds of the Yukon Territory, Leah is a naturalist, extreme hiker and has lived in Vancouver for nearly twenty years. There is a calling for The North that Leah will never shake from her bones but she finds herself entranced by Westcoast trees.
Aside from visual art, Leah Day is an actor, voice actor, poet, writer and musician. Leah is currently the voice of Persa the Electric Catfish on ‘Future Chicken’-an environmental children’s show on CBC & CBC Gems.
Leah lives with her photographer wife, dog, cats, multiple chickens and happy kiddlet in Vancouver. A mini homestead some might call it.
A very mini one.
Is
“Using skills honed from growing up in the Yukon I forage, grow or reuse nearly all of my materials. I create a large portion of my art from natural pigments (ex: husks of blueberries, ground stone, bark, cabbage, flowers, mushroom dyes, cherry, tomato, turmeric), India ink, archival ink, grated recycled gold, melted copper, bio resin to recycled resin. There is a poem forged by math within the art of every piece. The degree of each line indicates the order. I devise art between the freedom of abstract, the emotion of expressionism and the metaphorical details of surrealism. I thrive when my mind is full, my hands are gritty and I get to use my blowtorch. I use a colour binding technique reminiscent of the artwork in Sri Lanka to pay homage to my ancestors.”
Leah Day?
“I am passionate queer advocate for 2SLGBTQ+ support systems because that is what I needed as a mixed race in-the-closet gay youth.”
Leah Day Arts has been a vendor and performer in Vancouver City Pride for several years.
Leah is an active environmentalist and has been since childhood. Most of her works pertain to our global crisis respresented by the shark fin that pops up in many pieces. She strives to highlight the connection between self love, community and taking daily action for our planet.
Leah invites you to interact: @leahdayarts on Instagram & Facebook for sneak peeks and content only released there.
Leah respectfully acknowledges that she resides on the land of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations
Dozens of commissioned artworks across the globe from Australia, Netherlands, South Asia, South America and North America. She also has a line of apparel promoting Community and Equality as well as numerous designs featuring her artwork
Published
Discorder Magazine-Featured Musician
Luv Magenzine-Featured Actor
Ricepaper Magazine-Featured Artist
Love Letters to Vancouver-Featured Writer
North of Ordinary-Featured Artist
What’s Up Yukon-Featured Artist
Clients
2024 Board Member: ‘Film Artists Association of North America’—uniting multidisciplinary artists/actors/directors/producers from Vancouver, Toronto, New York, LA, China and beyond.
2023-2024 Graduated Alumni: ‘The Luminary Acting Program’ an acting intensive program via Screen Acting School
2023 Featured Interview: CBC Radio interview with Dave White on acting, art & the enviroment
2023 Client: Enchanted Evenings featured artist at ‘Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens’
2023 Client: Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) — 2SLGBTQIA+ Art Mountain Installation and Love Letters for the Queer Community
2023 Client: Proud sponsor of Apollo's Western Cup—North America's longest-running queer multi-sport festival
2023 Client: 1 of 6 commissioned artists for environmental awareness—Tree Parade by Cathy Stubington, Vancouver, British Columbia
2022 Client: An Evening in Damascus hosted by Rainbow Refugee—Art donation in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees, Vancouver, British Columbia
2022 Client: Bakehaus solo art show, West Vancouver, British Columbia
2022 Client: Telus TV Storyhive featured artist for Bombshell Brunches live painting, Vancouver, British Columbia
2022-ongoing Client: Acting member of Blue Splash aka Blue People Adventures created by Cathy Stubington—part of an ongoing artistic effort drawing attention to environmental concerns with support from BC Arts Council
2021 Client: Greenhouse Initiative Only Animal Theatre’s Artist Brigade—100 artists selected to be part of ongoing environmental artist projects, Vancouver, British Columbia
2021 Client: An Evening in Damascus hosted by Rainbow Refugee—Art donation in support of 2slgbtqia+ refugees, Vancouver, British Columbia
2021-2022 Client: Le HangArt Gallery featured artist
2021-ongoing: Dame Clothing featured artist on robes, pillows, scarves—small batch, hand dyed, ethically sewn with fashion industry cast off fabrics, Vancouver, British Columbia
2021-ongoing: Pacific Arts Market featured artist
2021 Client: SNAG art live painting and art draw, Vancouver, British Columbia
2021 Client: Fido/Rogers Canada featured national artist
2019 Client: Copper Moon Gallery commissioned personal collection—Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
2019 Client: Northern Bug Muncher Society—‘Love Bug’ commissioned logo, Yukon Territory
2019 Client: New York Dentistry— ‘Gothic Flowers’ Foyer centre art piece, New York, New York
2019 Client: Justin Lemphers, NDP Yukon—Custom Pride Apparel, Yukon Territory
2019 Client: Private Collection commission— ‘Gothic Flowers 3’ New York
2019 Client: Bed & Breakfast indoor mural: ‘Eagle’, Hope, British Columbia
2018 Client: MAKE Launch of Featured Artist Collection T-shirts—‘Hummingbird’, ‘Calm Raven’, ’Whiskey Jack’, Granville Island, British Columbia
2018 (2009-2018) Completion of spy novel ‘The Legend of Winter Tree’
2018 Solo Exhibit: The Village Bloomery —‘Chordates 2’ Vancouver British Columbia
2018 Client: Private collection commissioned by curator of Copper Moon Gallery— ‘Triumph’ Whitehorse, Yukon
2018 Client: Shyama Priya, Pow Wow Dancer—Custom Pride Apparel, Vancouver, British Columbia
2018 Client: Anonymous political client commission: ‘Anti Trump; Ziggy Stardust Saves the World’, Vancouver, British Columbia
2018 Client: Leah Day Arts —Official Vancouver Pride tote featuring ‘Anna’s Humming Bird’ Vancouver, British Columbia
2017 Artisan Market: Westbrook Village, Vancouver, British Columbia
2017 Artisan Market: Cannery Farmer’s Market, Steveston Village, British Columbia
2017 Artisan Market: The Knight’s Christmas Market, Burnaby, British Columbia
2017 Artisan Market: UBC Farmer’s Market, Vancouver. British Columbia
2017 Artisan Market: Portobello West Market, Vancouver, British Columbia
2017 Vancouver Pride Event: Pride Sports Day vendor, Vancouver, British Columbia
2016-Present: Lead Singer Songwriter of The Dawning an experimental Indie Folk band, Vancouver, British Columbia
2014 Private 12’ x 20’ Indoor Mural —Vancouver, British Columbia
2012 Solo Exhibit: Actor Works Studios— ‘Bodies Melding Minds’ Vancouver British Columbia
2010 Production 19’ x 22’ Play Mural— ‘Absolutely Maybe I Don’t Know’ Havana Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia
2009 Solo Exhibit: The Whip Restaurant— ‘Ace In The Hole’, Vancouver, British Columbia
2008 Solo Exhibit: Guild Theatre & Hideaway —‘Age of Wisdom’, Whitehorse, Yukon
2007 Solo Exhibit: William Davis Centre — ‘Trees are Lungs’, Vancouver, British Columbia
2009-2018: ‘The Legend of Winter Tree’—a 100,000 word spy novel