Duke (Lester) Windsor

(619) 206-5099

OFFICIAL BIO
Duke Windsor was born in Texarkana, Texas, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a radio operator, combat illustrator, and drill instructor. After leaving the service, Windsor was a freelance illustrator and amateur rodeo cowboy, competing in bull-riding, bareback and steer wrestling events. He subsequently studied classical voice at San Diego State University and performed professionally with the San Diego Opera Chorus. Windsor holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt in Kempo martial arts and continues to be an active singer-songwriter, guitar player, and solo performer.

Windsor has over 15 years of museum exhibition design and installation experience; he has worked for the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Museum of Man, the San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego History Center, and the Mingei International Museum. Windsor served seven years as the founding Director of Exhibits at the USS Midway Museum. Windsor is CAD Design Engineering Manager at Full Swing Golf Simulators, headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

Windsor is an Associate Artist of the California Art Club, and a former board member with A.R.T.S., A Reason to Survive, which empowers troubled youth through the arts. He is also the former Education Chair of the San Diego Museum of Art Artist Guild. Windsor has also served as a Public Arts Selection Committee member for the San Diego Regional Airport Authority Art Program.

Windsor has taught art at many venues, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the Athenaeum. He is a drawing and painting instructor at Art on 30th Street and offers various artist development workshops throughout San Diego County. Windsor’s award-winning paintings have been exhibited at juried solo shows, festivals, group exhibitions, and corporate venues in San Diego, Southern California. Throughout the U.S., and they are held in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. His work is in several museum collections, including the University of Maryland, and David C. Driskell Center. Duke is represented in Southern California by Sparks Gallery.

Windsor's art studio has been at his Mt. Helix, California home since 2015.