Reginald O'Neal (L.E.O.), an artist whose works we've seen in different Void Projects residences previously, will be opening his debut solo exhibit, Sun Beneath The Soil @ Tips on Failing, an artist-run exhibition, performance, and creative production space in North Portland. The showcase will be the first event of the reprogramed Forest For The Trees nonprofit public art project curated by Gage Hamilton and Matt Wagner.

Through his painterly practice, Miami-born artist has been influenced and inspired by everyday life in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, Florida. The body of work produced for his solo exhibition is embracing the beauty, struggle, and influence of his hometown community through intimate details that are captured in classical oil on canvas format. Mixing this traditional medium and contemporary subjects, L.E.O. makes a strong connection between the present state and the rough past conditions whose effects can be felt today.

TIps on Failing L.E.O Sun Beneath The Soil Jeff wiseknave

Originally called "Colored Town" in the late 19th through the mid-20th century, the artist tells local stories of trauma, survival, and love, which together create a vibrant culture inherently connected to so many others within the American historical landscape. Observing his neighbors, friends, and family with the honest and affectionate human eye, the artist is capturing real life through depictions of poetic details and harsh reminders of everyday struggles and pleasures.

After a few years of successful mural programs, a 2018 hiatus and program restructuring, Forest For The Trees is planning to bring more public artworks to Portland throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall, as well as the addition of artistic residencies and international cultural exchanges.––Sasha Bogojev

L.E.O.'s Sun Beneath The Soil will be opening at Tips on Failing in Portland, Oregon on May 10, 2019.