Leila Dear

Leila is a British-Iranian artist and educator. Her practice is multidisciplinary and looks at ways of engaging with the structure of the natural world. Often working with techniques of geometric construction from the Islamic tradition and elemental phenomena such as light and vibration, she explores commonalities between art and science and ideas of a beyond human intelligence.

An interest in geometry arose during Leila’s MA at The Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, where she specialised in Islamic geometric design applied to diverse mediums including ceramics, wood marquetry and fresco painting. Leila worked for The Prince’s Foundation (2013-2020) leading workshops designed to visualise mathematical principles in fun and creative ways. She’s taught over 2000 KS2 & KS3 students in workshops across the UK, utilising the richness of Islamic cultural references to encourage awareness & inclusivity in communities.

Leila is enthusiastic about the goal of Art School Plus to help embed the arts within our society. She believes in the positive effects public art brings to community cohesion and place making. Leila hopes the Art School Plus program will help to develop her practice and ability to respond to public realm commissions.