Involved in the fine arts since his early childhood and educated in the classical tradition of the famed Russian art school, he has been a professional artist since the age of twenty. Lerner works primarily en plein-air, but also paints figurative work, portraits, still-lifes, and is a master draftsman and sculptor. He believes that real art knows neither formulas nor preconceived styles and views his own work as part of the great tradition of European Art rather than part of any narrowly defined national or stylistic group.

His artworks have been shown extensively throughout the United States and Europe, have won numerous awards and can be seen in many corporate, private and museum collections.