María José Leira Ambrós

Category: Painter
Birth Date: In 1948
Birth Place: Ferrol (A Coruña)
Correo electrónico: 
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   Cultura
 Curriculum

She studied Drawing and Painting with several painters from Ferrol since she was twelve and carried out her first individual exhibition when she was twenty-one. In that moment, personal problems got her away from painting for twelve years. She took a degree in Biology at the University of Santiago de Compostela in 1978. Afterwards, she took up painting again and attended courses on engraving. Since then, she has combined these activities with his job as a teacher at Concepción Arenal Secondary School in Ferrol.

 Work & Activities

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS:

-1990: Athenaeum (Ferrol).
-1992: County Council (Lugo).
-1994: Athenaeum (Ferrol).
-1995: Cultural Centre (Vilagarcía de Arousa).
-1996: Araguaney Foundation Gallery (Santiago).
-1997: Salsa Rosa Mota, Pazo de Cristal (Porto).
-1998: Sala do Palacete (Cedeira).
-1999: Torrente Ballester Cultural Centre (Ferrol).
-2000: St Francis Cloister (Viveiro).
-2001: ‘María Pita’ Hotel Trip (A Coruña); Municipal Gallery (Pontedeume) and ‘Xosé Rey Lago’ Gallery, Museo dos Muíños (Culleredo).
-2002: González Garcés Library (A Coruña) and Biblioteca Nodal (Lugo).
-2003: Porto de Ferrol Gallery (Ferrol).
-2004: Hotel NH Principado (Oviedo).
-2006: Áncora Gallery, Villabrille Foundation (Cedeira).
-2007: Carvalho Calero Cultural Centre (Ferrol).
-2008: Cultural Centre (Valdoviño).

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS:

-1991: 'Fritura', Plastic Arts, Athenaeum (Ferrol).
-1994: ‘Galice en Art’’, Lorient (France).
-2000: ‘Subasta Millenium’, Hostal dos Reis Católicos (Santiago) and ‘Sete pintoras’, Cultural Centre (Fene).
-2001: ’25 Anos de Patrimonio’, Athenaeum (Ferrol).
-2002: ‘Pintura de la mar’ (Ferrol) and 'A muller na pintura' (Ferrol).

GRAPHIC WORK:

-Poster for the 'A muller en imaxes', a photographic contest organized by the City Council of Pontedeume in collaboration with Caixa Galicia (March 2001).
-Brochure for 'Atención Xurídica á Muller', Social Services in collaboration with the 'Consellería de Familia' (Xunta de Galicia).
-Brochure and poster for 'Día internacional de loita contra a violencia das mulleres', organized by the City Council of Pontedeume in collaboration with A Coruña County Council.
-Poster and cover for 'IX Xornadas Galegas sobre condicións de traballo e saúde', Caixa Galicia Foundations (2003).
-Calendar 2007 of Rosalía de Castro Resident's Association (A Graña).
-Cover for 'Idea' no. 13, Xunta de Galicia (2007).

 Other Interesting Aspects

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
-‘La pintura de Leira’. La Voz de Galicia (29th May 1992).
-‘Pintar y enseñar’. La Voz da Galicia (3rd October 1993).
-‘Leira Ambrós, unha pintora vocacional’, José M. García Iglesias, El Correo Gallego (13th December 1996).
-‘Resonancias pictóricas seculares de la muestra de María José Leira’, Xoán Álvarez. Ideal Gallego (7th December 1996).
-‘Presentación catálogo exposición Centro Torrente Ballester’, José Manuel García Iglesias (1999).
-‘María José Leira en el Hotel Tryp María Pita’. Catalogue presented by Alfredo Erias (2001).
-‘María José Leira lleva el hechizo de sus creaciones a Pontedeume’, Diario de Ferrol (11th August 2001).
-‘Catálogo de presentación exposición Concello Pontedeume’, Manuel Rei Romeo (August 2001).
-‘A pintura de María Xosé Leira’. Catalogue presented by Carlos Pereira Martínez (January 2002).
-‘A pintura de Leira’, EL Correo Gallego, José Manuel García Iglesias (18th July 2002).
-‘Catálogo de exposición itinerante’, Jesús Pérez Varela, Mª Carmen García Campelo and José Manuel García Iglesias (2002).
-‘O soño e a razón’. Catalogue presented by Eduardo Fra Molinero (April 2003).
-‘Guía de Artistas de Galicia’, Consellería de Cultura, Xunta de Galicia (2003).
-'Pintar la identidad', catalogue by José A. Ponte Far, Ferrol (2007).