About
Filmmaker | Designer | Creative Entrepreneur
Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost
Dr. Isadora has a PhD in Design from UW-Madison and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. She is an award-winning and highly sought after creative talent. Her work has been seen on PBS, Amazon Prime, other international streaming platforms, and thousands of independent screenings worldwide. She is a multi-talented and multi-passionate filmmaker, multimedia production designer specializing in website design, graphic design, photography, as well as media marketing and public relations. She also has extensive knowledge of interior design and textiles.
Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison. M.S. (2008) and Ph.D. (2012)
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), BFA (2004)
Research grant from the Kansas City Artists’ Coalition in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (2004-2005)
Tasara Center for Creative Weaving. Calicut, India. December 2004.
Brown University, Religious Studies (2003)
State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY (1999-2001)
Work Experience
Soulful Media, Chicago, IL 2002-present.
Multimedia design production company specializing in video and film production, photography, website design, graphic design, as well as media marketing and public relations. My work has been featured on PBS, Amazon Prime, and other streaming platforms and worldwide screenings. I also support companies with multimedia design, marketing, and business and project management in various industries.
Leidenfrost Vineyards, Hector, NY, 1991-present
Freelance Media Specialist: Manage and create online marketing campaigns which dramatically increased sales during the pandemic. Started a reservation system, hosting virtual tastings, and created a case club to enhance offerings for customers. Perform graphic design, brand management, and website design.
Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 2007-2012
Media Outreach Specialist and Exhibition Designer: Designed new website and brand that gained worldwide attention. Graphic designer, social media marketing and fundraising liaison. Organized 2 annual textile lectures. Curated 3 exhibitions. Gave textile presentations to students, faculty, donors, members, and local organizations.
Wisconsin Regional Art Program, Madison, WI 2011-2012
Assistant Director and Media Specialist: Website designer and an online marketing media strategist for “The Flourishing Artist,” a free online artist resource hub for Wisconsin Artists.
Teresa Moorehouse, Narrative Sculpture, Ithaca, NY 1999-present
Freelance Media Specialist: Producer, direct, shoot, and edit artist’s videos. Website design and management. 1999-2009: Manager: Negotiate and delegate business contracts. Financial planning and accounting. Scheduled exhibition opportunities and art festivals. Web Design and public relations. http://www.teresamoorehouse.com/
Department of Decorative Arts, RISD Museum: Providence, RI 2002-2003
Curatorial Assistant: Archived jewelry objects. Cataloged and researched wallpaper. Assisted conservator with textile and furniture conservation for "On The Wall" wallpaper by contemporary artists exhibition.Assisted with the preparation of "Zigzag Chairs and Wobbly Mirrors," 20th century furniture exhibition.
Media Resource Center, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Providence, RI 2003-2004
Audio-Video technician. Performed campus-wide Audio-Video set-up. Problem solved equipment with professors and students. Video Editor for students and faculty.
SHOCK Designs, Providence, RI 2003-2004
Design and implement textile productions for corporate and local textile businesses. Services include embroidery for clients and sock design for DeFeet International.
Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, NE Summer 2003
Internship: Multi-tasked working with the 10 artists-in-residence and eagerly fulfilled responsibilities for the gallery and the business. Assisted the residency director and delegated with the president of the board. Updated databases for their Annual Art Auction and maintained a 5,000 volume library.
John Mathews Limited, East Greenwich, RI summer 2002
Assistant model/mold maker: Internship: Fabricated limited edition toys and maquettes for Nickelodeon and DC Comics. Characters include the Justice League, Batman, and SpongeBob Squarepants. Meticulously preformed and strategized all technical processes including preparation of rubber molds, sculpting, resin casting, and all finishing and presentation work.
Wax Impressions, Brooklyn, NY 2000-2002
Freelance apprentice: Supported and assisted in the production of 500 prints.
Publications & Publicity:
How to Start a Red Tent. eBook (2016)
The Red Tent Movement: A Historical Perspective. eBook & Audiobook. Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost & ALisa Starkweather. 2015.
Voices of the Sacred Feminine. Edited by Rev. Dr. Karen Tate. Features a chapter by By Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost
Red Tent TV http://www.redtent.tv
Red Tent Movie blog. http://redtentmovie.wordpress.com/
2012-2015: For a complete list of press and numerous radio interviews for "Things We Don't Talk About" film click here.
Spirituality & Health Magazine. “Tibetan Meditation with Needle & Thread” March/April 2011.
FiberArts Magazine. Review of “Creating Buddhas”. Janurary/February 2010
Badger Herald, Madison, WI "Creative Spirituality Framed in Film". September 2009.
Tompkins Weekly, Ithaca, NY. “Filmmaker Focuses on Rare Tibetan Art”. June 2009.
Wisconsin State Journal. “Fabric of Spirituality” October 2008.
Star Gazette, newspaper. Elmira, NY. "Artist to talk, screen film on devotional art from India" Thursday March 16, 2006.
Ithaca Journal. Ithaca, NY. "CSMA's 'Coming of Age' Exhibit Celebrates Women and Girls". Thursday, March 2, 2006.
Cortland Standard. Cortland,NY. "Exhibit Celebrates Women and Girls". Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2006.
IndianExpress, newspaper. India. January 2006.
Ahmedabad Times, newspaper. Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India January, 2006
Art: Kansas City. September through November 2005. Pages 31 and 64.
KC Magazine. October 2005. page 134.
American Craft August/September 2004 issue. Research grant to India from the Kansas City Artists Coalition.
Awards
Honorable Mention "Dissertation of Excellence," Association for the Study of Women and Mythology (ASWM), 2014.
Merit Award of Awareness, Awareness Film Festival, 2013
Mark of Distinction, NYC Independent Film Festival, 2013
Awareness Film Festival, 2013
Spirit Film Festival, 2013
Beliot International Film Festival, 2013
Viola Jorgenson Baker Memorial Research Scholarship, 2010.
Jean Alford Myers Travel Award, 2010.
Christine Steenbock Scholarship, 2010.
Kathryn A. Zillman Scholarship, 2010.
Martin E. and Kathleen M. Burkhardt Fund Recipient, May 2009.
Special Mention. Design 2009: Annual Juried Student Exhibition, University of Wisconsin-Madison. March 2009.
Jean Alford Myers Travel Award, University of Wisconsin-Madison, December 2008
Design Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Design 2008". Honorable Mention Award, February 2008
Viola Jorgenson Baker Memorial Research Scholarship,University of Wisconsin-Madison, September 2007 and May 2007
University of Wisconsin, Madison. University Fellowship, 2006-2007
Kansas City Artists Coalition: Lighton International Artists Travel Grant. Awarded September, 2004
Rhode Island School of Design, "Outstanding Senior of the Year" Award, June 2004.
Northbrook Public Library. 1st place, Purchase Prize, October, 2003
The American Scholars National Honor Society 2001: Award of Achievement
Olympics of the Visual Arts State Art competition. Collaborative 1st place Sculpture. April 1999
Grants
Project Grant for the film "Things We Don't Talk About." Madison Arts Commission. City of Madison, 2011.
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Graduate Student Council. Vilas Travel Research Grant, 2011.
University of Wisconsin-Madison. School of Human Ecology. Research Grant. Jan, 2011
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Vilas Travel Grant. Jan, 2011.
Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission grant for "Creating Buddhas" screenings in Madison, WI. June 2008.
University of Wisconsin-Madison. School of Human Ecology. Research Grant. May, 2007
Kansas City Artists Coalition: Lighton International Artists Travel Grant. Awarded September, 2004
Grants Received for an Institution:
Lecture Committee Grant for the Annual Ruth Ketterer Harris Textile Lecture for the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison. 2008 and 2009.
Lectures
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. March 2015.
Williams College, Williamstown, MA. April 2014.
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI. April 2014.
Lake Superior Interfaith Church, Duluth, MN. March 2014.
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR. November 2013.
Unitarian Universalist Church. Guest Speaker. Tupelo, MS. November 2013.
Wisconsin Women's Conferenne, 2009 and 2013.
Association for the Study of Women & Mythology, 2009, 2010 and 2013.
Amherst College, April 2012.
Annual Conference on South Asia, October 2009.
The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, June 2009.
Pacific Asia Museum, February 2009.
Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, October 2008.
UW-Madison, Environment, Textiles, Design Department. February 2007.
Textile Society of America. "Textile Narratives and Conversations: 10th Biennial Symposium" Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Oct. 2006.
Community School of Music and Arts. March 3, 2006 & March 19, 2006.
Arjun English School, Ahmedabad, India. December. 2005.
Richan Nagar Society, Ahmedabad, India. December, 2005.
Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies, Hector, NY, 2005.
Kansas City Middle School for the Arts, 2005
Kansas City Artists Coalition, October 19th, 2005.
Foundation of Light, September 17, 2005.
Cornell University, March 9th, 2005.
Teaching
"How to Start a Red Tent," 2012-1016.
UW-Madison: Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, fall 2006-2012.
UW-Madison: Comparative World Dress, Fall 2008, 2009, 2010.
UW-Madison: Cloth to Clothing, Spring 2010.
UW-Madison: Body Architecture, Fall 2010.
UW-Madison: Business of Art for Undergrads, Spring 2010 and Fall 2010.
UW-Madison: Print & Dye, Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 .
UW-Madison: Weaving 1, Fall 2010.
UW-Madison: Off Loom Construction, Spring 2010.
RISD Media Resources. Taught and problem solved equipment with professors and students. Video Editor for faculty.
Selected Screenings
For a complete list of thousands of screenings of "Things We Don't Talk About" click here.
For a complete list of screening of "Herstory" click here.
For a complete list of screenings of "Creating Buddhas" click here.
Art in Public Collections
National Institute of Design Library, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. 2005.
South Asian Collection of Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY. 2005
Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO 2005
Cornell University Alternatives Library, Ithaca, NY 2004
Northbrook Public Library, Northbrook, IL 2003
Dryden High School Main Entrance, Dryden, NY 1999
Solo Art Exhibitions
The Red Tent. Design Gallery, UW-Madison, WI. November 2012.
Curated By Women, About Women. Kohler Art Library, Madison, WI. March-May 2011.
Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost: Fiber and Video Installation. Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City, MO, Oct-Nov. 2005
Mood Paintings. Leidenfrost Vineyards. Hector, NY. July 2000
Isadora Leidenfrost: Retrospective. Leidenfrost Vineyards. Hector, NY. July 1999
Group Art Exhibitions
Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA. "Fiber Art Master Works." May 20- August 28, 2016.
Curated "By Women, About Women." Kohler Art Library, Madison, WI. March-May 2011.
Design Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI. "Design 2009". March-April 2009.
Design Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI. "Design 2008". February-April 2008.
3rd Annual Everyday Goddess Festival, Madison, WI March, 2007
Makeready Press Gallery. Montclaire, NJ "Quilts for Art Sake 5." December 2006 thru January 2007.
CSMA, Ithaca, NY. "Heroic & Divine: Women in Myth and Symbol". July 2006.
Womongthering: Festival of Women's Spirituality. Poyntelle, PA. June 2006, 2007, 2008
Community School of Music and Arts, Ithaca, NY. "Coming of Age: Women and Girls", March 2006.
Brandeis University, Women's Studies Research Center. "Vital Voices: Women's Visions". Feb-Mar 2006.
Woods-Gerry Gallery, Providence, RI "Senior Sculpture Show". March 2004
Northbrook Public Library, IL. "Verses, Volumes & Vision: Art and the Written Word". October, 2003.
Makeready Press Gallery. Montclaire, NJ "Quilts for Art Sake II." October 2003.
Alternative Gallery Space. Providence, RI. "Asbestos: RISD Sculpture". May 2003.
Leidenfrost Vineyards. Hector, NY. "Teresa Howley and Isadora Leidenfrost". August 1998.
Leidenfrost Vineyards. Hector, NY. "An Image of the Center". July 1998.