Born in Britain and raised in Canada, Lesniewicz began his art career as a trained commercial artist in Edmonton Alberta, specializing in silk screening , illustration, graphics and cartooning. His early influences were pop art and abstract expressionism. It was not until he attended the Banff Summer School of The Arts in 1968 that representational art planted a seed.

 

In 1970 he ventured to Prince George, B.C. to teach alpine skiing in the winter and work in asphalt paving in the summer months. During this time silk screening and oil painting fed his artistic appetite.

In 1976 he enrolled in the Fine Arts program at the College of New Caledonia with aspirations of being an art instructor. Newly married to his present wife Angela they had an opportunity to purchase a ski business in 1977. Financial stability took precedence.  Further education was on hold.

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 Lesniewicz painted and sketched whenever possible. With his community connections he silk screened shirts/posters for local ski and rugby events.

They operated their business, Northern Ski and Outdoor Equipment in Prince George B.C. & UBC Sports in Vancouver B.C., until selling in 1987.

 

 Lesniewicz promptly enrolled in the Emily Carr Fine Arts program at CNC for two semesters hoping to continue his artistic quest. That wasn't to be.

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 Answering an advertisement for a graphic artist in the Prince George Citizen, Lesniewicz started a 24 year career as a graphic/layout artist, illustrator, award winning cartoonist and production manager.

 This new career permitted him to do art in his new studio, a converted garage. In 1994 he was asked to sketch on site for the opening of British Columbia's newest university, UNBC.  In 1996 his oil painting "Sleepers" represented the north in the BC Festival of Arts in Penticton BC.

He did graphic freelancing for local businesses and organizations. His wife, now a realtor, gifted his original oil paintings to clients.  Although Lesniewicz is an accomplished artist and firm believer in art education he continued to enroll in art workshops, attended numerous art workshops at CNC, the Valdez School of Art-Santa Fe NM , East Glacier Montana plein air workshop, the Gage Academy- Seattle WA, and the acclaimed Verrocchio Art Centre near Tuscany.

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 In 2014 and 2015 he was invited to participate in Victoria BC's TD Moss Street Paint In. Over 35,000 visitors made this a very rewarding experience. In 2015 he exhibited at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George and had some of his art spread across Canada in the hands of collectors.  Lesniewicz, wife, son and daughter have visited many fine art galleries around the world and marveled. He always thought that in a perfect world every home would be filled with flowers, music and original art. To help further populate homes with original art he has donated dozens of original paintings to charity and auctions, favourites being Ducks Unlimited and Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George. 

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Influences include Alberta painter R. Gissing, Corot, French and American Impressionists, Turner, Constable, Zorn, Daniel Izzard, Kevin McPherson and Clyde Aspevig to name a few.

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