Created by the Shinnecock Nation ceramic artist as part of Leonard’s BREACH series, the exhibition explores cultural and historical connections to water, fishing practices, and sustainability. 

Leonard begins her installation projects by visiting the location where her work will be shown and talking with communities in that region about their cultural connections with water. 

For this iteration of her BREACH series, Leonard visited the Western North Carolina region in October 2022 and met with members of the Cherokee community, WCU faculty in the sciences, scholars in the Cherokee Studies program, and WCU students. 

Leonard visited several sites connected with water and fishing, including the Tribal Trout Hatchery in Cherokee and a historic fish weir on the Tuckasegee River. These conversations informed the final look and content of her installation, from her color palette and audio soundtrack to the shapes painted on the walls.

An artist reception will take place from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Fine Art Museum. This event will include a gallery talk by Leonard, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Free parking available. 

The Fine Art Museum exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. Standard museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. If you have any questions, please call 828.227.ARTS. For more information, click on arts.wcu.edu/breach.