Leonard Cave

Leonard E. Cave (October 22, 1944 – June 11, 2006) was an American sculptor who worked in the Washington metropolitan area. Cave exhibited his works in solo and group exhibitions mainly within the United States and Japan. He primarily worked with wood, carving large sculptural and abstract pieces, though he also worked with other materials, such as metal. In 1984, Cave founded the Washington Sculptors Group in Washington, D.C. He presided over this group for several years, though he was also a professor at Georgetown University and a public school teacher. He died in 2006 after sustaining fatal injuries from a car accident involving a drunk driver. Eventually Cave transferred schools, going on to develop his skills as a sculptor and earn a master's degree in Fine Art from the University of Maryland. It was there that he studied under the sculptor Ken Campbell, by whom he was greatly influenced.

After completing his graduate coursework, Cave taught at Georgetown University for seven years. In 1986 he left his position at Georgetown University to teach briefly at the Torpedo Factory. For twenty years he taught at public schools in Montgomery County where he taught ceramics, sculpture and digital art. Additionally, he was instrumental in establishing an Academy of Commercial and Fine Art for the Montgomery County School District. At the time of his death, Cave was working for Northwest High School in Germantown, MD.

Washington Sculptors Group

In 1984, Cave was a founding member of the Washington Sculptors Group (WSG). Cave was elected the WSG's President and oversaw the formation of the organization. He helped draft its first constitution and by-laws, insured its non-profit status, organized the first Board, and located sites for shows. In addition, he worked with the National Park Service to host the first symposium on wood sculpture that took place in accordance with WSG. His mission was to push sculpture into the foreground of DC art (which was otherwise considered a "painter's town") and to foster an exchange of ideas among sculptors, collectors, and the public.

Three years after his death, Northwest High School dedicated the new art wing to him. The Leonard E. Cave Memorial Arts Wing holds a sculpture by the artist as well as a mural depicting his likeness.

Personal life

Cave was formerly married to Sandi Cave, but at the time of his death he was engaged to be married to a co-worker. He was a member of Cedarbrook Community Church in Clarksburg, Maryland.

Artwork

According to Cave's elder brother, much of Cave's work went to Furnam University upon his death. A large collection of his work was given to Hillyer Art Space in Washington, D.C., whose parent organization is International Arts & Artists. Duncan Tebow, former president of WSG and board member of IA&A, was a close personal friend of Cave's. Several of Cave's works that have been hosted on Hillyer Art Space's big cartel have been put up for auction and successfully sold. thumb

Solo exhibitions Year Exhibition 2004 New Art Center, New York, NY 2002 Washington County Museum of Art, Hagerstown, MD Amy Thomas Gallery, Boca Raton, FL 1989, 1991, 1993 Brody's Gallery, Washington, DC 1991 Center Galleries, Detroit MI 1991 Metropolitan Design Center, New York, NY Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope, AL 1982–1991 Gallery 2000, Columbus, OH 1978, 1981 Hom Gallery, Washington, DC I. Pinckney Simons Gallery, Beaufort, SC 1984, 1986, 1987 Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

Group exhibitions Year Exhibition1991–PresentI. Pinckney Simons Gallery, LLC, Beaufort, SC 2012 The Stanback Museum and Planetarium, Orangeburg, SC 2002–2003 Artsforum Galler, Group Show, New York, N.Y. 2002, 2003, 2004 Manifestations: Form and Function – Denise Bibro Fine Art, New York, NY 2001 A Shriek from an Invisible Box – Mefuro Museum, Tokyo, Japan 2001–2002 Out of Tradition: Selections from the Washington Sculptors Group, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 2001 Sculpture Takes Over Rockland Center for the Arts – A Group Exhibition from the Sculptors Guild, West Nyack., New York 2001 International Juried Show, New Jersey Center for Visual Arts 2001 Sculptures from Chesterwood, The Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy, NY 1999, 2000 Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ 2000–2001 The Arts and Humnanitites Council of Montgomery County and Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD 2000 12th Annual International Works on Paper, Park Avenue Armory, New York, NY 2000–2004 Burton Marinkovisch Fine Art, Washington, DC 1999–2004 Swanson Cralle, Louisville, KY 1998, 2000 Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA 1999–2000 Annmarie Garden, Prince Frederick, MD 1999 Aster Place, Hiroshima, Japan 1998 Binnale Ceremony at Fujia HR Center in Kansai Science City, Japan 1979–2004 Malton Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

Craft-related exhibitions Year Exhibition 1997 Pledmont Craftsman Annual Exhibition, Winston-Salem, NC 1994 Designer Crafts on 5th Avenue, New York, NY 1994 Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connectivut, Craft show 1994, 1995 Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, Southeastern Art and Craft Exposition 1993 American Craft Council Exhibition, Baltimore, MD 1993 American Craft Council Exhibition, West Springfield, MA 1993 Holidays at the White House, Washington, DC 1992 Excellence in Wood Award Des Moines Art Center Craft Expo, Des Moines, Iowa

Collections Allegheny College, Meadeville, PA Bank of Dallas, Dallas, TX City of West Hollywood, CA Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC Department of State, Washington, DC Furman University, Greenville, SC Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY IP Stanback Museum and Planetarium, Orangeburg, SC Mintz, Levin, Washington, DC Oliver Carr Company, Washington, DC Silas Mountsier, Nutley, New Jersey South Carolina State Museum South Carolina State University The White House, Washington, DC University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Awards Year Placement Event 1997 Best in Wood Pledmont Craftsman Annual Exhibition, Winston-Salem, NC 1995 Finalist Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Regional Fellowships 1992 Excellence in Wood Des Moines Art Center Craft Expo, Des Moines, Iowa