"I see or experience something and I think, “I must capture this feeling as art!"

Lois was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania and grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania. She spent a great deal of her early years drawing and painting. Her high school years were influenced by an art department staff that noticed her natural interest and drive toward art and was encouraging and complimentary toward her work.

Growing up the family spent summers in the Pocono Mountain region and Blakeslee Pennsylvania, where her father was an avid outdoorsman. Lois grew to love being in the great outdoors. This influenced many of her early and current work. Her mom was influential in encouraging her to seek a college degree and helped her to meet a local artist who reviewed the work that she was creating at home. That artist helped her to put together a portfolio. Armed with a portfolio, and an art scholarship award during high school graduation ceremonies, she applied to three prestigious art colleges and to her great surprise was accepted into all three! One of the highlights of her young life

Lois selected Philadelphia College of Art. This provided the groundwork for her studies, established by a group of professors active in their fields and with a hands-on approach to education. City life was not easy for a country girl at heart.  Lois transferred to Wilkes University’s art program the following year. At Wilkes, she studied under many prolific fine art teachers. She graduated with a BA Degree in Fine Art. Her education included working at the Sordoni Art Gallery. This was an opportunity to work in a professional gallery which enriched her education in fine art.

Her career was that of a graphic designer and web designer. In 2017 she decided to pursue her greatest love, art! Her studies include learning in the studio of Atelier Joel Carson Jones where she honed her skills in realistic charcoal drawing, pastel drawing and oil painting. Lois has taken additional workshops including, The Diagnostic Painter at the ANI Academy under Anthony Waichulis, Realism Live, a 3-day online training with a host of established contemporary artists, and Dan Scott’s Color Workshop.

Lois is a representational artist and describes her style as being realism with hints of painterly realism. About the creative process, Lois states: All my pieces come from a personal place and moment in time. It can be the whimsy of a stuffed animal toy sheep that is having a sleepless night, to enjoying the beauty that surrounds us. I see something and I think “I must capture this as a piece of art and tell the story behind it!” I know that people look at art and see it through their own lens and perspective. Each person will see and feel something very different, and I love hearing about that! She mainly focuses on toys that have a personality all their own and landscapes. The titles and compositions tell the story of life’s many moments and experiences that we all share.

Lois’s award-winning work has been juried into many regional, national, and international shows and competitions and has been included in several publications: Artist Magazine Strokes of Genius Best of Drawing, Pastel Journal, and the Art Renewal Center 15^th and 16th International Salon. She is a member of The International Guild of Realism, NOAPS, Allied Artists of America. www.loispluskey.com