Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork

Welcome to this website dedicated to beadwork sculptures by Leslie B. Grigsby. Leslie, a career museum professional, lives in Wilmington, Delaware and creates works in glass seed beads and thread, sometimes over cores made of wood or other materials. Leslie’s sculptural artwork is inspired by science fiction, science fact, art history and/or Nature. It is included in private or institutional collections in the United States, Canada, and Australia and has been exhibited at venues in the US, Canada, and Africa.

Contact Leslie Grigsby: LBGrigsby@verizon.net

2025

• In progress. You Left Me Standing Alone (Blue Moon).
• Publication available online at Internet Archive. Suzanne Golden, Suzanne Golden Presents: 35 Artists Innovate with Beads (Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, NYC, 2013), pp. 94-99. Seven sculptures featured: Egyptian Teapot, Fish teapot, Raygun No. 3 and Four Elements (Helmet series).

2024

• Exhibited. BITE SIZE: Small Works Straight from the Studio, Gravers Lane Gallery (GLG), Philadelphia (November 29, 2024 – January 9, 2025). Head in the Clouds.
• Banner image for beadwork competition. Museum of Beadwork (Portland, ME) “Starstuff & Cosmic Dust” challenge. (October 2024 – March 2025). You Promised Me the Moon.
• Exhibited. On Beauty, Massoni Art, Chestertown, MD (September 14 – October 13, 2024). Head in the Clouds.
• Work completed. Head in the Clouds.
• Cover image for musical release. Under the Sun  by Libana (vocal group,  Boston). Digitally released single, Gaia Now.  (2024)
• Exhibited. Small Favors annual exhibition (April 11-June 2), The Clay Studio, Philadelphia. I’m All Ears (Margay). 

2023

• Works join private collection, Philadelphia. Diptych: Over the Moon and Under the Sun.
• Work in progress. Head in the Clouds.
• Exhibited and work joins private collection, Philadelphia. Small Favors annual exhibition (April 28-July 3), The Clay Studio, Philadelphia. You Promised me the Moon. 
• Work joins private collection, NYC. Life Desaturated (Squirrel).

2022

• Work completed. You Promised Me the Moon for The Clay Studio 2023 Small Favors exhibition, Philadelphia.
• Exhibited. “Water/Ways: Thinking Downstream,” Massoni Art, Chestertown, MD (April 1-May 4). View video.  Over the Moon and Under the Sun with additional images.
• Single Artist Virtual Presentation.  Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork, Toronto Bead Society (March 9).

2021

• Work joins private collection of board member of Museum of Art & Design (MAD), NYC. Life on the Edge (Gull).
• Exhibited. New Now IV (May 19-June 19), InLiquid Gallery, Philadelphia. Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Single Artist Virtual Presentation.  Perceptions as Self-Portraits: Leslie B. Grigsby Beadwork, April 30. View recording. Event related to digital Portraiture exhibition by Manifold Global.
• Work published. Annual American Artwork 2021 juried collection of contemporary painting, photography, sculpture, and craft. (Printed Hong Kong, China, 2020) Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.

2020

• Work joins private collection, Philadelphia. Freedom Cubed: Air.
• Works included in virtual tour. Curating Philadelphia as the Capitol of Craft, virtual Craft Tour presented by James Renwick Alliance and Craft NOW Philadelphia (Aug. 2). Tigger/Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is and Life Desaturated (Squirrel) in Gravers Lane Gallery catalogue for registrants.
• Work completed. Diptych Under the Sun and Over the Moon.
• Exhibited and work mentioned. Edith Newhall, “In Philly galleries: Top-notch craft art, and a noteworthy solo debut,” The Philadelphia Inquirer (Mar. 14), review of “Une Exposition d’Arts Obsessionels de la Fibre,” re 40 fiber artists at Gravers Lane Gallery (Philadelphia).
• Work published. Life Desaturated (Squirrel), American Craft Council magazine (Home Issue, Feb./Mar. 2020). See “Contemporary Craft,” inside back cover (Gravers Lane Gallery).
• Juried membership (accepted). InLiquid Art+Design (Philadelphia region artists).

2019

• Exhibited. Gravers Lane Gallery, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA. 
• Works completed. Just Beneath the Surface (Sea Turtle) and  Freedom Cubed (Air).
• Work joins private collection, Flagstaff, AZ. It Dawned on Me (Airplane).
• Work returns from loan exhibition in Africa. Art in Embassies program of US Department of State, exhibited at US Embassy, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa (Spring 2016 – 2019), Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.

2018

• Works completed. Babe in the Woods (Bush Baby) and I’m All Ears! (Margay).

2017

• Exhibited. World On A String: Exploring Contemporary Interpretations of Bead Work, Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA (July 11-Sept. 2). Life Desaturated (Squirrel).
• Works completed. Babe in the Woods (Bush Baby) and Life Desaturated (Squirrel).
• Works join private collections. Piece of Pennsylvania, Fountain of Youth (Fawn), Social Climber (Squirrel), Jeannie’s Koi, and Ray Gun No. 5.
• Single artist loan exhibition. Private Thoughts: Beadwork Sculpture by Leslie Grigsby for the New York Ceramics & Glass Fair, NYC (January 18-22). Published online in ArtFix Daily: Curated Art World News & Exclusives. Loan exhibition and Teapot: If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Fish! published in Lita Solis Cohen, “The New York Ceramics & Glass Fair,” Maine Antiques Digest, Apr. 2017, pp. 22-D to 25-D (see 22-D and 23-D).

2016

• Works completed. Social Climber (Squirrel) and Fountain of Youth (Fawn).
• Exhibited. Art in Embassies, US Embassy (US Department of State), Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa (Spring 2016 – 2019), among other US artists’ works. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Exhibited. Teapots! 10th Artists Invitational.  Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA (Apr.-May, 2016). Collaboration with Lindsay Grigsby.  Rocky Start (Koi) Teapot.
• Husband/wife collaboration featured. Lisa Fieldman, “The Intersection of Love and Art”, West Chester & Chadds Ford Life (Spring/Summer 2016), pp. 76-80.

2015

• Work completed. Rocky Start (Koi) Teapot towards Teapots! 10th Artists Invitational.  Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA.  (See 2016.)
• Exhibited. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is at Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia (Dec. 2015 – Jan. 2016).
• Work completed. Tigger / Tiger, or Who She Thinks She Is.
• Work joins private collection. The Four Elements (Helmets) Series.

2014

• Exhibited. 9th International Fiber Biennial at Snyderman Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA (Mar. 7, 2014 to Apr. 26).  Hide (Fawn), Ray Gun, No. 5 and the Southern to the Core Bowl.
• Work completed, joins private collection. Hide (Fawn).

2013

• Work joins private collection.  Changing Spots (Amur leopard)
• Exhibited & published. The Artists of Winterthur: A Collective Exhibition, The Oxford Art Alliance, Oxford, PA (Sept. 6-28). Featured in John Chambless, “A concern for the past unites Winterthur artists,” Chester County Press (Sept. 11, 2013). Show featuring past and present employees of Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE.
• Commission completed. Jeannie’s Koi for private collector, Vancouver, BC.
• Exhibited. “The Beadmaker’s Art: Inspired by the Book 35 Artists Innovate with Beads” (Aug. 1-Sept. 7, 2013), Mobilia Gallery, Cambridge, MA.  Show featured in critic’s choice section of  the Boston Globe, “The Week Ahead: Theater, galleries, and museums,” August 14, 2013.  (Raygun No. 5 and Southern to the Core.)
• Work published. Suzanne Golden, Suzanne Golden Presents: 35 Artists Innovate with Beads (Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, NYC, 2013), pp. 94-99. Seven sculptures featured: Egyptian Teapot, Fish teapot, Raygun No. 3 and Four Elements (Helmet series.
• Exhibited & featured work. Snyderman Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA. Changing Spots (Amur leopard). Featured Work on gallery site.

2012

• Exhibited. Reactor Gallery, Toronto, Canada (Nov. 2012 – Jan. 2013).
• Featured online. Daily Art Muse (April 24 post).
• Work completed. Changing Spots (Amur leopard)
• Commission completed. Egyptian Teapot for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC.

2011

• Work joins NASA Collection after becoming finalist in 2010 competition. Rocket Ship No. 2 .
• Work in progress. Egyptian Teapot, commission for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC.

2010

• Contest finalist.  NASA/Etsy Space Craft Contest, 3D space craft division.  Rocket Ship No. 2. 
• Work published online. Mary Douglas, “Fiber Finds from the Kamm Teapot Collection,” Fiberarts Magazine (Sept./Oct. 2010 issue). Work: If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Teapot!   
• Work published online. “Seen: Pittsburgh Gallery Overflows with Teapots”, GLASS Quarterly Hotsheet (April 2010). Work included: Eclipse Teapot .
• Exhibited & work joins private collection.  The 4th Annual Teapots! Invitational (opened April 9, 2010). The Morgan Gallery, Pittsburgh PA. View the exhibition.  Eclipse Teapot.
• Exhibited. The 7th International Fiber Biennial (February 5 – March 20). Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia.  Four Elements (Helmet series).
• Exhibited. Rittenhouse Hotel Gallery, Philadelphia, PA; Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA; Turning Point Gallery, Media PA.

2009

• Commission completed. If You Drink Any More Tea, You’ll Turn Into a Fish! for The Kamm Teapot Foundation, Statesville, NC
• Exhibited. Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA

2008

• Exhibited. Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA), 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring).  Shown by Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited. Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA; Turning Point Gallery, Media, PA

2007

• Exhibited. Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA), 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring).  Shown by Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited. Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA; Blue Streak Gallery, Wilmington, DE.

2006 – 2014

• Exhibited. Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.
• Exhibited 2006 and later. Annual International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects & Functional Art (SOFA). Venues: Navy Pier, Chicago, IL (Fall); 57th Street Armory, NYC (Spring). Shown by Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA.

1999 – present

• Curator, then Senior Curator of Ceramics and Glass, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur, DE.

MEMBERSHIPS (Selected): American Craft Council; InLiquid Art+Design (Philadelphia); James Renwick Alliance (JRA); American Ceramic Circle (Former VP, President, and Board Member); English Ceramic Circle