Born in Melbourne in 1914, Les Rees studied at the Prahran Technical College, Melbourne, where he was friendly with Sidney Nolan. After completing his studies he went on to work as a commercial artist at Neon Electric in the drawing room. It was there that he created the iconic "Skipping Girl" advertising sign, promoting a vinegar of the same name. He had been impressed by a young girl that he had seen at the milk bar and fondly named her "Audrey". He began painting full time in 1973. Known for his traditional landscape paintings, he has exhibited widely in the Melbourne area and as received numerous awards. In his later years Les's preferred to paint with oils at his favourite place Bright in Victoria.
The earliest auction listing we have for Les Rees is in 1984 and in total 57 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 39 (68%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $1,210 for Country Fields (pair) sold by Leonard Joel in August 1993. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2023.
Les Rees is listed in the following standard biographical references:
Could the second and subsequent works by this artist sold after June 9, 2010 for over $1,000 be liable for the Artists' Resale Royalty? More info…
Yes, eligible, subject to the artist satisfying the residency test. The artist is alive or has been deceased for less than 70 years. Contact the Copyright Agency for information on the residency test.
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