LES THOMAS
Les Thomas was born in British Columbia in 1962. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta in 1990 and then completed Post-Graduate Studies at the Slade School of Fine Arts, University College London, England in 1992. After returning to Canada he attended the University of Calgary, gaining his Master of Fine Arts. Les Thomas’ dynamic wax and oil paintings 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. Thomas sifts through a wide variety of visual sources for the imagery in his work, noting that one of his major influences is culture, in its broadest terms, including all aspects of our everyday life. Les Thomas has received many awards for his work and has his paintings in public and private collections in Canada, the U.S, the U.K. and Germany. He currently lives and works in Alberta.