Jesse Leroy Smith

Artist Jesse Leroy Smith heads up our Mentoring Programmes. Jesse has been pivotal in the development of our long courses and still tutors several sessions for the Defining Practice and Studio Practice. He also teaches two of our online courses, Modern Portrait and Inspired by Leonardo is one of the tutors in our Online Life Drawing Classes.

Jesse Leroy Smith completed a postgraduate diploma in painting at the Royal Academy Schools in 1992. He exhibits internationally and travels widely for art residencies and research (most recently in Berlin and Crete). 

He has curated notorious art projects in public sites and abandoned buildings that bring together diverse artists, performers and communities to reimagine these venues and their future use.  Most recently ‘Unstable Monuments’ In Bristol and ‘Rapture' in Brighton have promoted a wealth of emerging talent alongside artists with international reputations. 

Recently, he has been creating  ‘100 mentors’ and filmed interviewed with over 50 Artists, curators and writers so far. He recently exhibited in Athens for ‘ The Wanderlust’  group show in a renowned abandoned mansion, curated by @artefact_athens and interviewed 12 artists across the City. After two productive Residencies in Crete 2022 and Paros, Greece 2023, he spent 3 months in Greece last summer, painting and researching for new bodies of work. Last year his show ‘Paradise’  at Velarde Gallery Devon included select works from Artists he invited. Last Easter he created a highly visual, sensory and intriguing banquet for 100 guests with a team of artists helping him make ‘Prey’ a 40ft frieze painting live in the ex-church and art centre Fabrica, Brighton.