Leslie Lerner (1949-2005) began his artistic career in California in the 1960s, where he was influenced by San Francisco’s pop culture Hollywood’s stage sets. He became a sort of “visual writer” whose paintings depicted the tales of an imaginary voyage titled “My Life in France.” His magnificent world was inhabited by his alter-egos “The Man with the Wooden Arm” and “The Poor Boy.” Through his illustrated stories, he was able to transport the viewers to fantastic places and share with them a beautiful, dreamlike world.
On September 10, 2005, Leslie Lerner passed away after a long illness. A Fine Arts faculty member for fifteen years at Ringling College of Art and Design, he taught and influenced many students who would go on to become professional artists.
His work is in numerous museum collections including the Corcoran Museum of Art, Arkansas Arts Center, Oakland Museum, the Progressive Corporation, and the Norton Museum of Art, and continues to be shown in museum and gallery exhibitions.
