Les was born in Clydebank, Scotland. His early memories include walking to the swimming baths and seeing remnants of tenements destroyed during the Blitz.
He attended Clydebank High School, starting his artistic journey under printer Willie Rodger’s guidance. Despite being advised to seek a stable job for financial security, he enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art in the 1980s but struggled to pursue art as a career.
Over 30 years, Les achieved goals in the expressive arts, mainly in music, performing in venues from pubs to concert halls.
In 2012, after brain surgery, he joined a painting and drawing class at East Kilbride Arts Centre, which aided his recovery and reignited his passion for art.
Les spent the next few years enhancing his skills, focusing on portraits and landscapes, leading to a successful solo exhibition in May 2016.
In September 2016, the Stirling Smith Museum invited him to showcase his collection of Scottish crime writers during the ‘Bloody Scotland’ festival, followed by Clydebank’s first portrait exhibition in 2017.
In October 2018, Les returned to East Kilbride Arts Centre, showcasing his evolved style, and this exhibition became one of the most successful in the Centre’s history, selling 15 pieces.
In 2019, he released a limited edition calendar of 50 copies that sold out quickly.
