Daniel Stanislaw Les was born in Adelaide, South Australia in
1967. Of Polish and Slovenian descent, Les was raised in a home
where painting and the discussion of art was a pivotal part of
daily life. He attended the University of South Australia,
graduating in 1991 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts majoring in
Painting before moving to Auckland, New Zealand in 1992 to pursue
his career as a full-time artist. In 1996, Les took part in a
travelling exhibition with the Slovene Association in Europe, a
tour of duty that included shows in Slovenija (Slovenia), Tinje
Carinthia (Austria) and Trieste (Italy). He currently divides his
time between Australia and New Zealand.
Les is a considered and meticulous painter, attributes belied by
the expressive, gestural handling of subject, broad-swathe
brushstroke and moody palettes of his work. For Les, the
artistic
act of mark making is the culmination of months of
planning, observation and rumination on a subject and
approach: a moment of aesthetic epiphany captured in paint on
the canvas. While still beholden by the New Zealand landscape,
Les owes much of his tonal range to his experience of Europe - the
broad areas of cultivated farmland, gently sloping foothills and
staggering alpine vistas that evoke an almost sublime aspect in
Les' art.
Les has held numerous solo shows in New Zealand and Australia
and has participated in group exibitions throughout Australia, New
Zealand and Europe. His work is held in public and private
collections both nationally and internationally, notably in
Claridges Hotel in London where, in 1996, Les was commissioned to
produce 8 works for the coveted Wontner Suite.