Lesley’s work is a formalized interpretation of the world around her with a focus on strong light, color, and solitude. She paints bold, colorful images from her favorite solitary places formalizing the space with a hint of abstraction. She explores the desolate, forgotten landscapes where nature struggles to survive. Lesley works with traditional media, oil, watercolor and pastel to focus on contemporary issues like the effect of development on our landscapes and the beauty in the ordinary.
A figurative artist her style is post-modern and formalized with a wave to abstraction. Recent series include “Covid Washing Lines” based on the experiences of women during lockdown and “Eastern Shore - History Reflected through the Puddles of Time”. Important influences are Edward Hopper and David Hockney.
About the Artist
Lesley Giles is a contemporary painter from London where she worked and exhibited before moving to the USA in 2003 with her American husband. Her studio is on the Eastern Shore near Washington DC. Lesley was honored to receive an Independent Artist Award from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2021. A Masters graduate of the Royal College of Art London, Lesley has exhibited her work extensively in galleries and museums throughout the UK, USA, and China.Artist's Statement
Lesley's work has been published by Harper Collins in “Watercolour Masterclass” and “The Challenge of Landscape Painting” as well as being featured in many magazines. A highlight of her career was Visiting Artist at Xinjiang College of Art, Urumqi, China in 1996. She received a special permit to travel the Silk Road and to paint in the Altai Mountains, an area at that time closed to Westerners.Featured Work
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