Lawrence Leslie

Lawrence was born in Gunnedah, NSW. He is a member of the Kamilaroi community from Moree. With no formal training the artist began screenprinting original designs in 1982. His designs are based on the rivers and country around and on traditional Kamilaroi art forms such as possum skin carvings. The culture of the Kamilaroi people from the Moree region was decimated by waves of pastoral invasion through the 19th century. The artist sought to make contact with his people’s traditional culture through researching language and artefacts and has produced original designs in a contemporary style from recalling the rivers and the land where he grew up. Unlike the Aboriginal people of Northern Australia the Kamilaroi people were carvers of wood and skin rather than painters.
Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Queensland Art Gallery/GOMA, Brisbane
Moree Plains Gallery, Moree
Group Exhibitions
1995 Carved tree, Moree Cultural Art Foundation
1994 Carved tree, Moree Northern Regional Library, Moree
1990 Yurundiali Aboriginal Renaissance, Moree Plains Gallery, Moree
1990 balance – Views Visions, Influences, Queensland Art Gallery
1989 Kamilaroi – Moree Mob, Boomalli, Sydney
1998 Birruk – Murri Gallery, Fremantle WA
1987 Gove, NT
1985 Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs
1995 South Pacific Arts Festival, Tahiti
1983 NAIDC Week Exhibition, Criterion Arcade, Moree