Heidi
Leigh has owned and operated two or three animation galleries,
simultaneously since 1984. Leigh is a charter member of
The Animation Art Guild, and has been on a board of advisors
for a marketing group for the Walt Disney Company. Leigh
has acted as a consultant for Christie's East and Sotheby's
auction houses, and gave seminars to the heads of their
animation departments about authenticating vintage animation
art and identifying forgeries. Leigh has authored numerous
articles that have been published in trade publications,
and was interviewed on CNBC, as well as Channel 20 Daytime
Edition. The New York Times, Collectors Showcase Magazine,
In Toon Magazine, Animation Magazine and numerous local
publications have written articles on Leigh, who is considered
to be an expert in the industry. Animazing Gallery has
an excellent reputation, and specializes in original animation
art for the savvy collector; an expansion into fine art
that is fun introduced Tom Everhart and The Peanuts Paintings
in 1986, and more recently, The Secret Art of Dr Seuss
and Pop art by Disney artist David Williardson. Animazing
Gallery is authorized to represent all major studios,
and has hosted many important events over the years; the
gallery philosophy of hosting benefits to "give something
back" is Leigh's way of helping to make the world
a better place. Recently, Leigh has conducted a seminars
on animation at the Art Expo in 2002, and with Ruth Clampett
in 2003, both at the Jacob Javits Center. Leigh has published
animation art for TTV featuring the Underdog characters,
and launched them with a benefit for New York's Hungerthon
in 1999. Leigh acted as an expert advisor for The International
Museum of Cartoon Art and curated an auction that was
held at the New York Historical Society. Leigh is on the
board of advisors for MoCCA, (Museum of Comic and Cartoon
Art) and Art World News magazine. Leigh is also a
mentor for the Westchester Association of Women Business
Owners, and a member of the Westchester Arts Council and
The American Crafts Council.
In 1996 Leigh married Nick Leone; one of the savviest
animation collectors of Warner Bros. art, who also happened
to be the Gallery Director of the Warner Bros. Studio
Store on Fifth Ave in New York City. Chuck Jones drew
their wedding invitation, and they have been living happily
ever after in Westchester, NY, with their animation collection
and daughter, Christie. In 1994 Nick came on board with
Animazing Gallery and took the position of Gallery Director
in SoHo, where he still handles acquisitions and heads
up the sales team. Nick is also the president of an animation
company, Screaming Wedgie Entertainment, Inc. He creates
animated characters, and currently is working with renowned
car designer George Barris, (All the Bat mobiles, Flintstone
car, Munster mobile, Futurama car, etc.) to co-create
a car for his hero "Flush Gordon" from "Flush
& the Unflushables." (A very funny cartoon
about potty humor that will someday be picked up by one
of the networks!)
Sneak peak here: www.screamingwedgie.com
Nick
& Heidi are both members of the Chuck
Jones Center for Creativity,
The
Society of Illustrators, and The
Charles Schulz Museum & Research Center
