First Steps Series
“First Steps” is the ongoing series of 350+ rough-hewn sketches on found and recycled paper. This body of work explores the unabashed creative process usually found within sketchbooks and on scrap paper. These initial sketches in context of the artist creative process are preliminary, but hold much weight. They are often hidden beneath layers of paint and pigment. Les brings these First Steps to light with the help from partial funding from the 2005 Asheville Area Arts Council’s NC Regional Artist Grant. Moving forward First Steps has traveled to numerous venues, beginning with a solo debut at the Hickory Museum of Art in 2005.
exhibition name plate tag in vinyl
project origins display
reception vittles include 50 dozen doughnuts and one case of beer
it took about a year to create the inventory
artist posing with install section
Who get's this pose reference?
music informed many of the sketches
Wanted, Unbelievable Growth, & Clear
"Wanted" detail
detail with gesso whitewash
Hickory Daily Record Review of First Steps
install sample
First Steps install at Collapseable Studios, Asheville NC, 2007
Greensboro, NC installation
stretching the definition of paper
"A Tutu, Oysters and PBR"