Tom Lockhart was born and raised in the heart of the pristine San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado.  A brief art lesson at age ten sparked some interest in painting but high school soon challenged him in other directions.  While attending college in Emporia, Kansas an art professor approached him and encouraged him to take an art class.  The seed was planted again and Tom changed his major to art.  He received his Bachelor of Fine Art Degree from Emporia State University in 1976.  Not quite sure what he was going to do with an art major other than teach, he decided to return to his home town of Monte Vista, Colorado to help operate his family business.  For ten years Tom spent the evening hours and his spare time teaching himself drawing and painting in the more traditional sense rather than the non-objective abstract approach he learned in college.  He read instructional books about various mediums and also studied many of the great masters.  Tom entered art shows and art fairs as time would allow away from the family furniture business until 1986 when he decided to go full time with his art career.

He soon realized his limitations and that he could only go so far without further instruction.  Lockhart was advised to get his Masters Degree in Art but once again discovered this was not the direction for him.  So after reading various art magazines, he found that painting workshops were offered by artists working in the same manner or style in which he was interested.  Lockhart has studied with artists such as Ted Goershner, Ray Vinella, Gerald Fritzler, Lowell Ellsworth Smith, Irvine Shapiro, Carlton Plummer, Skip Whitcomb, Wayne Wolfe, and Ralph Oberg.

With this information and further self-study, Lockhart began to concentrate on painting outdoors and experiencing nature first hand.  Encouraged by friends and fellow artists, Lockhart continues to travel and paint outdoors as much as possible. 

“It’s all out there in front of you.  God has given you the best material and now you must interpret nature your way.  Painting from life has lifted my soul to another level and I am constantly yearning to get out there and paint.”

 Lockhart continues to travel the southwestern canyons of Arizona and Utah and the northern villages of New Mexico as well as the Rocky Mountains and the coast of Maine.  He looks for every opportunity to search for new inspiring subject matter but also returns to many of his favorite sites looking for a new angle or the way light has changed the subject.

Tom Lockhart has been included in many national and regional juried exhibitions and has won numerous awards.  He is a new member of the NWR Group (Northwest Rendezvous of Art), is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, is a Signature Member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, and has won the Silver Medal for Region III in the National Arts for the Parks.  He has exhibited with the International Pastel Society and was part of the Forbes Magazine Gallery Exhibition in New York City and San Francisco.  Tom has also exhibited with the Colorado Governor’s Show in Loveland, Colorado.   He was named Colorado Artist of the Year for Ducks Unlimited and his art has helped benefit the Colorado Wildlife Society.

Tom Lockhart has been featured in the Art of the West Magazine and Watercolor Magazine.

Lockhart’s work is included in many corporate and private collections here and abroad.  Galleries throughout the Southwest and Rocky Mountain Region as well as Maine, represent him.  Tom maintains his own gallery and studio, La Casa De Luz, in his hometown of Monte Vista, Colorado.

AWARDS and MEMBERSHIPS:

 Oil Painters of America Award of Excellence, 2005 Central Regional Exhibition

Rocky Mountain Plein-Air Painters Award of Excellence 2004

Region III Winner National Arts for the Parks 2004

Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Directors’ Choice Award, 2003

Northwest Rendezvous of Art (NWR) Signature Membership, 2002

Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Signature Member, 2002

Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, Award of Merit, 2002

Oil Painters of America, Signature Membership, 2002

Art for the Sangres, Signature Member, 1997-2003

Nebraska Governor’s Show Featured Artist, 2001

Watercolor Magazine, Forbes Ranch Competition Finalist, 1999

Creede Repertory Theatre Print Artist, 1998, 1987

Top 50 Finalists, The Artist Magazine, National All-Media Competition, 1995

Region III Winner, Top 100, National Arts for the Parks, Jackson

Best of Show Birds of Prey, 21^st National Ducks Unlimited Show, 1993

3^rd Place, “Best & Brightest “Nat’l Exhibition Scottsdale Artists’ School, 1993

3^rd Place, “Strokes of Genius” Show, Scottsdale Artists’ School, 1993

Best of Show Oils, 20^th National Wildlife Show, Overland Park Award of Merit, Top 100 Finalists, The Artist Magazine Nat’l  Wildlife Comp. 1990                 

Colorado Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, 1990

JURIED EXHIBITIONS:

NWR 2005-2000

Representing the West Exhibition 2005-2003  Sangre De Cristo Arts Center

One Man Exhibition "From the Canyons to the Coast" Western Center for the Arts, 2005 Grand Junction, CO

Colorado Governor’s Show, Loveland, CO, 2005 -  2002

“Barns and Farms”, National Exhibition, Kewaunee, WI, 2003

 Northwest Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000

 Oil Painters of America National Exhibitions, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999

 “Art for the Sangres” National Exhibition, Westcliffe, CO 1997-2003

 Permanent Collection, The Western Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, CO, 2001

 One Man Exhibition, The Mitchell Museum, Trinidad, CO, 2001

 “Awash with Color” Exhibition, Forbes Gallery, New York, 2000

 “Awash with Color” Exhibition, Forbes Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2000

“Impressions of the Southwest” Show, Sangre De Cristo Art Center, Pueblo, CO 1999

International Pastel Society Exhibition, Denver, CO 1998

Rotary Artists of the West Exhibition, Colorado Springs, CO 1996, 1995

Top 100 National Arts for the Parks, Jackson, WY 1995, 1994, 1993

National Wildlife/ Ducks Unlimited Show, Overland Park, KS 1991-1994

GALLERIES:

               La Casa De Luz                             Monte Vista , Colorado

               Wild Horse Gallery                     Steamboat Springs,  Colorado

               Birdsnest Gallery                         Bar Harbor, Maine

  Elkhorn Gallery                             Winter Park, Colorado

 McMahon Gallery                         Ruidosa, New Mexico

PUBLICATIONS:

Feature story and Cover in Southwest Art Magazine February 2006  
10th Annual Landscape issue:  " Home Again" by Gussie Fauntleroy.

“Awash with Color” Watercolor Magazine, Spring 2000

“Subliminal Drama” Art of the West Magazine, May/June, 1998

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS:

Western Colorado Center for the Arts, Grand Junction, CO

Forbes Trinchera Ranch, Fort Garland, CO

Arthur Anderson Corporation, Denver, CO

Rio Grande Savings & Loan, Monte Vista, CO and Sunflower Bank, Monte Vista, CO

Community Bank of the San Luis Valley and Vectra Bank, Del Norte, CO