Collection: Lester Kern

Lester Kern is a native of Milwaukee Wisconsin, who now resides in Stone Mountain Georgia. His interest in art developed at around three years of age. This interest was so intense that his parents bought him a small chalk board to divert his attention away from the walls and important papers. This plan worked, and a young artist was born.

Equally at home as a fine artist, cartoonist or commercial illustrator, his first published works appeared at age thirteen.

By sixteen he was employed part-time as a staff cartoonist for a small weekly newspaper. He went on to win several awards locally, and was eventually awarded a full art scholarship to the University of Wisconsin where he received his formal education (BFA).

After college he accepted a position as an art director for a newly established community newspaper that offered him a small budget, but full creative license. The results would be a host of awards, including three first place awards through the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), for best editorial cartoonist.

After several years of working as an director for various magazines and design studios he started a syndicated political cartoons called Lester's World that was circulated to forty-three newspapers nationally.

Because of his diverse background, Lester's artistic style can be described as "extremely versatile." As an artist he views himself as many components that create the whole and therefore refuses to be categorized or "locked" into any one particular style. Lester will admit however, that whatever the style he chooses, his works reflect a strong sense of spirituality, ethnic pride and a joyful celebration of this "chalkboard" we call life.