Thursday, September 30, 2010

Eleanor Leinen, mixed media artist, redefines sculpture with her long awaited exhibit, "Thinking outside

the Box…Frozen Dreams", opening Friday, October 1, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at the Schacknow Museum of

Fine Arts (SMOFA) LOCATED AT 7080 Northwest 4th Street, Plantation, Florida.

The concept for the installation is "dream images" in which thousands of boxes create a sculptural

"dreamscape" which challenges the notion of sculpture. Is it metal? Is it foam core? No, cardboard

boxes, acrylics and findings! The installation includes giant sunflowers; a nest of flowers and simulated

diamonds; an aquarium; and a bedroom with a life size bed with quilt that appears as pools of rippling

water, box throw pillows, functioning bedside lamp with boxed clouds. The center piece sculptures are

"Shemise" (she is me)—a larer than life size self-portrait comprising of a skirt made from 400 hand-

Painted containers for pie slices and "The Dream Guide" which is the only piece created outside the box

format. The artist's loyalty to the architecture of boxes and containers is uncompromising.

Not to be overlooked are the spectacular effects and accents that were created with Eleanor's business

partner, Marc Vaughn, a nationally recognized photographer.

Olga Avallone, Director and Max Schacknow, founder/Director of the museum stated that "This

installation is a very dramatic and exciting departure from the paintings and sculptures commonly seen

at this venue."

This fall, PBS-TV's "Arstreet" and "The Adams Report" will feature the artist and her art.

Eleanor Leinen resides in Hollywood, Florida with her husband Stephen Leinen and Emerald, an English springer spaniel.

The show is on exhibit until November 29, 2010 Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.