Leonard Alberts was born November 24, 1924 in the Bronx, New York. Entering Cooper Union at the age of sixteen, he continued a more detailed study of Greek Vase painting and Mosaics which helped to develop his understanding of the principles of design and space arrangement. It was at Cooper where he met his most influential teacher and mentor, Wallace Harrison, the director of the Cooper Union Art School. Studies with Harrison further codified his approach to painting and to understanding the use of form in historical and cultural expressions.

It was also during these years at Cooper that he met fellow artist Olivia Koopalethes. They married in 1946 and decided to move to Paris in 1949 to continue their studies in the studios of Fernand Léger and André Lhote. Leonard’s works were shown to critical acclaim at Gallery”8” and Palais de Chaillot, for Americans in Paris.