A exhibition spanning the 50 year career of the well-known and much loved 'Sir' Leslie Thornton is now on at CAM.
A blockbuster first for Castlemaine showcasing ‘Sir’ Leslie Thornton, opened 22 March at the Castlemaine Art Museum, with a huge crowd coming together to celebrate.
The exhibition features paintings, drawings and sculptures that celebrate the artist’s whimsical and playful Australian-centric approach.
Sir Leslie Thornton
- Exhibition dates: 22 March to 27 July, 2025
- Location: Stoneman and Benefactor’s Galleries, 14 Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine
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In his long career, ideas man Leslie has held over forty solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows whilst continuously creating, inventing and refining.
Polymath Les escaped Queensland as a young man, with training in civil engineering, a love of lighting and a feel for the surreal.
After a short stint in Melbourne, he left to make Castlemaine – then, as now, a haven for the arty counter-culture – his home. After building his house on a bush block in the Chewton bushlands, and working in various areas such as painting and decorating, he was appointed manager of the Theatre Royal.
“Keeping this iconic venue open was the equivalent of having five full-time jobs” Les recalls, and in 1995 he awarded himself a knighthood, becoming “Sir Leslie” for his dedication and entrepreneurial services in preserving its function as a historical theatre.
With his background in technical drawing, ticket and sign writing, his body of art shows a meticulous nature coupled with a designer’s sense of colour and proportion.
His paintings mirror his interests; local icons‚ bridges, shops, buildings and mountains. His practice, supported by a life-long eye for collecting, also encompasses clocks, cartoons, collages, deconstructed objects and sculpture from electrical components.
The exhibition which showcases more than 130 pieces of work, is accompanied by a public program, which includes a weekly intimate tour with “Sir” Les, himself, and a variety of events and workshops.
