Leslie Edwards Humez

Leslie Edwards Humez (1946- )

Leslie Edwards Humez works with “fantasy sculpture and magical surrealism” in her artistic practice. She says she “create[s] characters, monsters, and whimsy.” Using humor and the occasional wordplay, her sculptures exude color and metaphor. Edwards Humez brings to life a cast of creatures and critters that all have something to say. Working with clay, Edwards Humez chooses to air dry her pieces rather than fire them in a kiln, a process that is more eco- friendly. This under-utilized process creates more durable results.

“When completed, the sculptures have the appearance of glass and the sturdy properties of wood.  If one should accidentally fall…they are virtually unbreakable.  At worst a piece might sustain a ding at the point of impact and easily fixed without a trace. In contrast -as we all know- kiln-fired work shatters like glass.” -Leslie Edwards Humez, Artist Statement

Edwards Humez became an archived artist in 2023. She was born in Cuyahoga County and currently resides in Lake County, Ohio. She is a lifelong lover of sculpture. As a child, she loved the feeling of mud and squishy clay between her fingers, and her father made her little clay creatures every day. Viktor Schrekengost and his “limitless imagination” influenced her early artistic style.

Edwards Humez worked in publishing and became the first female regional circulation manager for Penthouse Intl. Inc. She wrote for magazines and publications including Beautiful  Bizarre Magazine. After she began sculpting full-time, Edwards Humez started art programs for her Cleveland community. Preservation Silk is a platform that sells scarves made from rescued Indian Silk. Random Acts of Art, only active in 2014, brought live work to the streets. Perhaps her most well-known Cleveland-based program is P.A.T.S.: Perceiving Art Through Sculpture. P.A.T.S. is a program that allows visually impaired people to interact with sculpture and illustration. Edwards Humez uses her own art in this program and collaborates with 2D artists to make 3D-printed models.

In addition to Cleveland galleries, Edwards Humez’s distinctive sculptures have been exhibited in other states and internationally in Europe and Asia. In the past, she accepted commissions from private and public institutions. Leslie is an active member of the Northeast Ohio Illustrators Society and the AAWR. She lives in Painesville, Ohio and continues to provide workshops and art classes for those interested in sculpture.