Artist
Les Thomas
Canadian, b. 1962
- Biography
- Curriculum Vitae
My intention with each of my animal paintings is to forge some kind of amicable relationship between the patterns and abstract paint application, and a particular animal image. In this sense, the image is not merely a pretext for a painting. It actually provides the impetus for how the entire surface is to be treated. Les Thomas, who was born in British Columbia in 1962, has long recognized painting as a language in its own right, and its diversity, in terms of poetic and conceptual messages, exhibited by each individual picture. Les' education is indicative of his dedication to his chosen profession as an artist. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University College in London, England. After returning to Canada, he attended the University of Calgary, gaining his Master of Fine Arts.
Thomas sifts through a wide variety of visual sources for the imagery in his work. The influence of his view of painting as a very noble activity is combined with his acknowledgement that it can be inventive and enjoyable (for both the artist and the viewer). The other major influence is culture, in its broadest terms, including all aspects of our everyday life. Les Thomas' dynamic wax & oil animal paintings allow him to play with the relationship between culture and nature. The special encaustic wax finish that he applies, Les explains, "may very well pertain to memory, and the manner in which we hold visual experiences within the capacities for recollection. Think of the last time you encountered a bear on the roadside or craned your neck to watch a mountain goat or sheep on a steep and rocky slope." "My intention with each of my animal paintings is to forge some kind of amicable relationship between the patterns and abstract paint application, and a particular animal image. In this sense, the image is not merely a pretext for a painting. It actually provides the impetus for how the entire surface is to be treated." Les Thomas has received many awards for his work, been featured in several publications, and has his paintings in public and private collections in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Germany.
EDUCATION 1996-1998 Master of Fine Arts: University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1991-1992 Post-graduate Studies: Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, London, England
1986-1990 Bachelor of Fine Arts: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2019 The Bow River Paintings Loch Gallery, Alberta, Canada
2016 Bow-tye Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada
2014 New Paintings Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada
2010 Paintings Diehl Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
2008 Beare Udell Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2008 Recent Paintings Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada
2007 Arrested Images Udell Contemporary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2006 Recent Work Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada
2004 Beneath Surfaces Am Eichholz Galerie, Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Munich), Germany
2002 Recent Paintings Wallace Galleries, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2001 Picturing with Paint Galerie Due, Bochum (Dusseldorf), Germany
1997 Paintings Masters Gallery, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1996 Illuminated by Colour Medicine Hat Museum & Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
1993 Singular Adventures GSL Galleries, London, England
1992 Paintings by… Alberta House, London, England
1991 Landscapes Front Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2021 The 17th Annual Fete, Diehl Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
2020 The Northerners, Diehl Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
2019 Light, Color, Pattern Loch Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2018 Avarium Diehl Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
2017 group, Udell Xhibitions, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2015 Fete @ Diehl Gallery, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
2014 group Udell Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2010 Wax on Wax Off Visions West Contemporary, Denver, Colorado, USA
2010 Howl Visions West Gallery, Bozeman, Montana, USA
2008 Figure & Faces Udell Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2007 group Visions West Gallery, Livingston, Montana, USA
2006 group Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta, Canada
2004 group Udell Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2003 Kingswood-Thomas-Uttech Udell Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2000 Canadian Survey Udell Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
1998 Nineteen-Ninety-Eight Nickel Arts Museum (University of Calgary), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1997 Eat the Music Nickel Arts Museum (University of Calgary), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1997 Neoteric Beaver House Galleries (AFA), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1997 Paint-ings Profiles Gallery, St Albert, Alberta, Canada
1996 ECAS Annual Strathcona Arts Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1996 Still Life McMullen Gallery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1996 40 Degrees Celsius Commerce Place Galleries, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1995 Introducing… Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
1991 Real Life Observed Harcourt House Art Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS Alberta Foundation for the Arts Project Grants
Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travel Grants
Canada Council Travel Grant
College Art Association Travel Grant (Los Angeles, California)
Governor General’s Gold Medal Award: Nominee (University of Calgary)
Dean’s Special Entrance Scholarship (University of Calgary)
Winspear Educational Development Scholarship
British Council Grant (Slade School of Fine Art, University College London)
Florence Adison Scholarship - Painting (University of Alberta)
Universiade Scholarship - Painting (University of Alberta)
Alberta Heritage Scholarship - Painting (University of Alberta)
Seven Arts Club Award - Painting (University of Alberta)
COLLECTIONSAlberta Foundation for the Arts
Canada Council
University of Calgary
Ranger Oil (London, England)
Alberta House (London, England)
Grant McEwan University
Hilton Hotels
Bear Mountain Resort
Avenir Capital Corp.
Chateau Lake Louise
Blue River Heli Tours
Shaw Cable
Westin Hotels
GSL (Milford, England)
Nesbitt Burns
Most-Work (G-A-P, Germany)
TEACHING1998-1999 Full-time Studio Art Instruction, Augustana Campus (U of A), Camrose, Alberta, Canada
PUBLICATIONS & CONFERENCES 1999-2002 wrote art reviews for STRAIGHT community newspaper (Calgary)
1999 Painting in the Digital Age 87th Annual College Art Association, Los Angeles, California, USA
1998 600 Years of Coloured Mud Graduate Thesis: University of Calgary
1998 The Quandaries of Art School Education - In-Tension Conference; University of Calgary
1997 “Beholden to Beauty: Revisiting Kant” Vancouver Art Gallery/Nickel Arts Museum (Calgary)
- Available Works
- Sold Works
- Exhibitions
- Videography
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