Craig R Lesser

November 20 1989

Age 34, Houston, Los Angeles, AIDS

He graduated from the Univ of Houston in 1978 . His 1st solo exhibition was in 1985 by the Meredith Long Gallery - who now own quite a bit of his paintings. The Fresh Paint show at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston also featured his "Crawfisherman in Battle".

Craig moved to Los Angeles in May of 1987 until his death in 1989. He painted a limited number of pieces while in Los Angeles, mainly figurative forms in oil on canvas. He visited Europe during the summer of 1985 for approximately three months traveling about visiting museums and art. He was overwhelmed in 1988 while visiting the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena California by the shear number of "masterpieces" on display. He said in the one afternoon he had experienced more art than his months of travel in Europe. He never felt that he had achieved his best work but was looking forward to that inspiration. He often said his piece, the "Ides of March" also referred to as his "wizard of OZ" was a favorite. After his death, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston displayed one of his pieces on December 1 to commemerate World AIDS day, "A day without Art"; a tribute to artists who have been lost.