Explore the exhibition in an intimate tour with your host and guide, Sir Leslie Thornton. Les will share anecdotes, inspiration and his favourite pieces in a convivial atmosphere where you will glimpse the wonderful workings of Les. Questions encouraged!

In his fifty - year career, Leslie has had over forty solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows and has continuously created, bringing his aesthetics to work. Born in Queensland, Les escaped as a young man, with training in civil engineering, a love of lighting and a feel for the surreal. Arriving in Melbourne, he soon left to make Castlemaine - then a haven for the arty counter culture - his home.

Join Les Thornton in conversation with David Murray-Smith, long-term friend and admirer of the artist, and collector of random oddities, in a ramble through Les' mind (and collections) - via a lifetime of retaining, sorting and stashing material ephemera. Les will show some items from his many collections, which not only serve as inspiration for his work, and as the actual source material to make art from and with, but are in themselves cultural artefacts both kitsch and nostalgic.

Bio:

David Murray-Smith, sometime youth worker, bureaucrat, apparatchik and Castlemaniac, hides predominantly in Fitzroy behind teetering piles of books, postcards, artworks, journals, maps, manuscripts, postage stamps, cigarette papers wine bottles and inconsequential memorabilia.

Adjust your seat belts, lock up your tray tables and put your phones on plane mode as Version, Tigah and the Captain, fresh back from sell-out European performances at the Guggenheim, Tate and the Pompidou Centre will take you on a tour you will never forget of the Sir Les Thornton exhibition at CAM. Hold onto your hand luggage, this flight may never leave the ground….. but you can be assured of the ride of your life. Is it a guided tour or an art happening?

Book your flights early to receive bonus duty free gifts and to avoid the congestion of cattle class.

Join us for a playful and imaginative workshop inspired by the electrifying sculptures of Sir Leslie Thornton! In this hands-on session, children will explore the art of

assemblage by building collaborative sculptural creations using power boards, double adapters, and night lights—just like Sir Leslie.

A table full of electrical components will become their playground as they experiment with form, balance, and composition. Once their sculptures are complete, we’ll bring them to life by plugging them in—illuminating their creations in a glowing display of light and shadow in the gallery.

This is a temporary play-based experience, much like working with LEGO—encouraging experimentation, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

No prior experience is needed, and all materials are provided. Children will not handle electricity directly; all lighting will be managed by the facilitator for safety.

Come and build, light up, and celebrate the magic of sculpture and electricity!

For ages 8-12

BIO: Laura Jade is an Australian illumination artist and interaction designer who merges art, biology, neuroscience, and technology to create interactive experiences that reveal hidden biological processes. With over 15 years of experience in STEAM education, she designs hands-on workshops that engage children in creative exploration, blending fine arts with science and technology. Her teaching style emphasizes playful experimentation, curiosity-driven learning, and making complex scientific concepts accessible through art and interactive design.

In celebration of International Women's Day 2025, CAM presents a talk by sculptor Ruth Lyon, with an introduction by publisher Anne Rittman. Lyon's artwork has enjoyed accolades over her 50-year career, including the installation of her sculpture, The Cornish Miner, in Lyttleton Terrace, Bendigo. This artist's talk will focus on Lyon's ambitious project to honour women living in Victoria through a series of 44 clay portrait busts. The goddesses include philanthropist and change maker Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, senior elder Aunty Geraldine Briggs, and Australia’s most experienced pilot Deborah Lawrie. Ruth will discuss the conception of the project, her approach to sculpture and the results of this significant body of work.