“The backcountry has enhanced my life and inspires my art.”

- Leslie Jorgensen

An avid skier and biker, Leslie Jorgensen creates colorful, contemporary paintings of her experiences in the Rocky Mountain West. Her work is often described as joyful, as it captures light, color and motion in a fresh new way.

Her work is held in several private and public collections, including 4 wall murals in the new Vectra Bank corporate building in Denver. 

Originally from Florida, Leslie came to Colorado in 1989 and fell in love with the Rocky Mountains, which have provided unending subject matter for her art.

After she took up backcountry skiing in 2015, her work changed in response to a new interaction with the landscape. The wind, the sun and cold mountain climbs along with high alpine vistas inspired a series she calls Art of the Backcountry, a colorful and emotional body of work about these experiences.

In 2023, she was tapped to create a special painting to mark the 75th anniversary of FIBARK, Salida Colorado’s whitewater festival.

Leslie lives in Salida with her husband Ron Salerno. You can visit her working studio/gallery at 121 N F Street in Salida, CO. 

Curriculum Vitae: All the Deets

Work History
  • Artist, Leslie Jorgensen Fine Art, 2015-present
  • Graphic Designer, Leslie Jorgensen Design, LLC, 2018-2020
  • Owner, Connexion Creative, Inc, graphic design firm 2001-2018
  • Art Director at Unidata Software and Ardent Software 1993-2001
  • Infographic artist at The Denver Post 1989-1993
Education
  • Art Students League of Denver, 1990-93, 2015-2017. Studied with Jeff Wenzel, Karen Roehl, Jordan Wolfson, Doug Dawson.
  • Metro State University, Colorado, Painting I, II, III, IV. Studied with Andrew Speer, Carlos Fresquez.
  • University of Central Florida, BA in Graphic Design, Minors in Journalism & Public Relations. Studied drawing with Robert Rivers.
Associations
Projects & Exhibitions

2024

  • Solo Exhibit, Colorado Mountain College, Salida, CO

2023

  • Colorado Watermedia Society, Juror, CWS Show, Lakewood, CO
  • FIBARK, event artist – special 75th anniversary painting, Salida, CO
  • Vectra Bank Corporate Center, commission, 4 wall murals, permanent installation, Denver, CO

2022

  • COLORado, solo exhibit, Portfolio Gallery, Breckenridge, Dec – Feb
  • AdventureScapes, solo exhibit, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, Apr-June
  • Adriana, acquisition, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center

2021

  • Snowdance, solo exhibit, Portfolio Gallery, Breckenridge, Jan 11-Apr 1

2020

  • Community Palette, Art in the time of Covid, group show, Paquette Gallery, Salida, CO
  • Art of the Backcountry, solo show, Portfolio Gallery, Breckenridge, Jan-Feb
  • MTNS, Group Show, Curtis Center for the Arts, Greenwood Village, Jan-Feb
  • LifeHouse Denver Hotel, permanent collection.

2019

  • Spoke, Group Show, Fremont Center for the Arts, Canon City, CO Second Place
  • Art of the Backcountry solo exhibit, Coldwell Banker Realty, Salida, CO, Jan-Mar
  • New Works with Andrew Speer, GRACe Gallery Denver, Feb 7-Mar 1
  • Bones, 36×48″ Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center acquisition.
  • Hikes & Bikes with Gail Franke, Pinon Realty, Salida, CO, May – Aug

2018

  • Artists Invitational, Creative Framing Gallery, Louisville, Feb: People’s Choice Award.
  • Creative Capital Exhibition, Colorado State Capital, June-Sept
  • Group Show, 307 Jackson Gallery, Jackson, WY
  • RiNo Group Show and holiday art show
  • Georgetown Inaugural Plein Air Festival, Georgetown, CO, Aug
  • Hikes & Bikes, solo show CORE New Art Space, Denver, CO, Aug
  • 99 Pieces of Art on the Wall, ACCESS Gallery, Denver Sept
  • 22nd Annual Plein Air Artists Colorado National Show, Sorrel Sky Gallery, Durango, CO: Allen Award
  • National Western Stock Show, Young Guns, Denver, Dec

2017

  • Summer Art Market, Art Students League, Denver, June, Best Booth
  • Solo Exhibit, Studio 3, Lafayette, CO, June
  • OTHERSIDE, with Kristina Davies at GRACe Studios Gallery, Denver, CO, July
  • 34th Annual All Colorado Art Show, Curtis Center for the Arts, Oct
  • Winter Eclectic, Artwork Network, Denver, Dec- Jan

2016

  • Expansiveness, Solo Exhibit, aBuzz Gallery, Denver, May
  • 33rd Annual All Colorado Art Show, Curtis Center for the Arts, July
  • Fall Group Show, Creative Framing Gallery, Louisville, CO, Sept-Oct
  • 99 Pieces of Art on the Wall, VSA Colorado ACCESS Gallery, Sept

2015

  • Five Voices/Five Visions group show, aBuzz Gallery, Denver, March

Cover and Artist Profile
June 2023 issue

Salida Art Walk story
June 2019 issue
READ HERE

Artist Profile
Nov/Dec 2018 issue
READ HERE

Cover and Artist Profile
Jan/Feb 2019 issue