Lesley A. Powell has been an artist all her life, first as a dancer and choreographer and now as a painter. Her work is deeply influenced by movement, space, the body, color, and nature. Across both performance and visual art, she explores how space can be transformed expressively—whether on stage or on canvas—creating work that is dynamic, intuitive, and emotionally resonant.

From an early age, Powell showed a strong visual curiosity and a preference for nonverbal expression, shaping the foundation of her artistic voice. Raised in a family that valued the arts, she was active in art and dance schools. She decided to concentrate on dance in her 20’s.

Powell pursued dance seriously, studying at the University of Wisconsin, Temple University (BFA - Dance) and further exploring performance/mime at the Wisconsin School of Mime. Influenced by German expressionist dance and the teachings of Rudolf Laban, she developed a strong understanding of movement, improvisation, and spatial composition. From 1974 to 1993, she performed and choreographed extensively, presenting work in New York City, Philadelphia, and beyond. In addition to choreography, she designed her own costumes for her dance works.

She was dance faculty at Drew University. In 1993, Powell founded Movements Afoot in New York City, focusing on Pilates, anatomy, and movement education. Returning to visual art after her choreography career ended, Powell studied at the National Academy, the Art Students League of New York and other art workshops.  

Her dance training always influences her artwork in exploring expression of line, form, space and color on a surface. Her paintings—ranging from figurative and anatomical studies to abstract landscapes—reflect her lifelong engagement with movement and form. She is a member of Longyear Gallery in Margaretville, New York and Pictor Gallery in New York City. Her work has been presented at shows in the New York area.