Born and raised in Winnipeg, Leona has taught internationally in the USA, Mexico, Cuba, Greece, Italy, France and Spain.  In 1998 she lived and painted in China for four months.  Painting from the soul, she finds that it is the process of painting that is important to her whether it be representational or abstract.

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Leona's paintings can be found in both private and corporate collections.  Private collections are located globally: Canada, USA, Singapore, China, Switzerland, England, Belgium, Japan, Finland, Sweden and Russia.  Corporately in Canada and USA: The Conklin Group (Toronto, Canada), VIA Rail Canada Inc. (Vancouver, Canada), and in Manitoba (Canada) for Manitoba Blue Cross, Fillmore Riley Llp, Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Arts Council Art Bank, the Manitoba Provincial Government Art Bank,  the Manitoba Teacher's Society, and North Dakota (USA) Museum of Art. 

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She previously taught in the River East School Division (Winnipeg, Canada) for six years prior to moving to Montréal, Québec.  Her formal education was at the University of Manitoba; Faculty of Education Degree and Human Ecology Degree.  At the University of Saskatchewan she augmented her art education with History of Art and Art Appreciation.

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Over the course of her career, Leona has won many awards domestically and internationally.  A Finalist in the Women in the Arts Exhibition held by Artrom Gallery in Rome, Italy, Prayer was one of only 16 selected globally.  She also has shown  in the Fabriano in Acquarello 2018 in Bologna, Italy.