Leo Covault is a Cleveland-based transgender artist with an interest in exploring gender through the lens of historical fashion and folklore. He was inspired by stop motion animation, shadow puppets, and stage design to create his photographic illustration style. Leo creates two dimensional, articulated paper dolls and places them in three dimensional sets. These sets are made with a combination of found objects, dollhouse furniture, paper mache, and fabric. He then lights the work with colored gels and photographs it.

In addition to this style, Leo enjoys printmaking and jewelry making. He uses a variety of mediums in printmaking, including screenprint, intaglio, and linocut. Leo also makes necklaces and earrings out of polystyrene “Shrinky Dink” plastic. In all his mediums, Leo is inspired by the handmade, often rough or stiff shapes of historical folk art. He also wants to convey the changing concept of gender expression over time and the ways it is subverted and played with in fairy tales.