“I’ve seen her closet. It’s more like sculpture rather than clothes,” added her design associate, Effie. Leonard’s personal style pioneers the definition of elegance. No, not the seized-in-sequins type of elegance but the kind that fiddles in darkness, mixed layers of grey, black and diamonds.
After receiving commissions and interest from friends and strangers Janis decided to open a design firm in 1989. When asked about her initial clients, she said: “They took a chance on a young New York transplant.”
She perfectly describes her design aesthetic as “hard edge injected with a dark humor at times.” Part artist, part curator, you’ve probably seen her work in AZ88 where political art is made plausible. You can see Leondard's doings in the running rhinestone greyhounds froze in statue and the famous christmas tree’s made from unconventional materials that decorate the Scottsdale cocktail bar.
“It’s a subtle form of media. It gives people something to talk about, if they like it or not,” Leonard adds while on the topic of her art in AZ88. “It's sometimes political, sometimes playful and usually dangerous.”
When asked about her work for AZ88, she said: “I started working for AZ88 at the beginning of my career, we just had a similar aesthetic. The owner was looking for a more industrialized, clean look for the restaurant and his designer of 12 years, Larry, recently passed. He knew I had a similar penchant in my work so it was the meeting of the minds!”.
Most recently, Janis Leonard Design Associates have accepted a deal with Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art to work on a lounge space for the museum and a piece of artwork that will be featured in the lounge.
Wrapping up our lunch, I asked Janis if others found her to be as mysterious and interesting as I did. “Not one person in particular," she replied. "I surround myself with interesting, creative free thinkers. These are my friends. I enjoy those with a sense of humor as well- tongue implanted firmly in cheek”.
Janis Leonard is certainly a character in Arizona. I adore her affection towards the arts, her infinite wit and poise. I know she’s ready to leave when she flicks her wrist, exposing a Hermes Medor watch and softly says “Shall we shop?”.
