Academy of Golf Art – In Memoriam: Leslie B. DeMille (1927-2017)

(WESTHAMPTON BEACH, New York) – The Academy of Golf Art (www.academyofgolfart.org) announces the passing of Leslie B. DeMille, world-renowned portrait artist and longtime Academy member. DeMille, who died in September, specialized in pastels, oils and sculptures.

“Les had a keen appreciation of the beauty in all things,” said George Lawrence, president of the Academy of Golf Art. “He will be sorely missed.”

DeMille’s career spanned seven decades. His diverse talents took him from Canada to California, Hawaii and finally to Sedona, Arizona. He taught regularly at the Scottsdale Artists’ School in Arizona, wrote several books and was the host of the successful “Portraits in Pastel” television program.

“It is with great sadness that we report Leslie B. DeMille’s passing,” said Kevin Kammerer, executive director of the Academy of Golf Art. “Yet we join countless others in celebrating his life and extraordinary artistic gift.

“He will be remembered fondly and missed by many the world over.”

Founded in 2003, the Academy of Golf Art is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create an awareness and appreciation for golf art as a valuable segment of fine art, expressing the essence of the game to help preserve its traditions through artistic representation. Members of the Academy are selected according to high standards to assure their significant contributions to the genre, and to ensure the lasting legacy of their work and their place in the history of golf art.

The Academy will mark its 15th anniversary in 2018 with an exhibition at the Morris Museum of Art, in Augusta, Ga. Featuring the Academy’s member artists only, The Academy of Golf Art: Artists of the Game will be shown Feb. 24–May 13, 2018 – including Masters week. The works to be displayed include sculpture; paintings in oil, pastel, watercolor and casein; and photography. Standard admission prices will apply, and special events are being planned to complement the exhibit.

Several pieces of Leslie B. DeMille’s art will be shown at the exhibition.

For more information, see www.academyofgolfart.org.