121 Grand Junction Blvd.
Orlando, Florida 32835
(407)290-0816
Email: KGLessord@aol.com

Gary Lessord
Professional Resume
2003

EDUCATION:

1979 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
Master of Fine Art - Deans List, Summa Cum Laude

1975 ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Associate of Applied Science - Deans List

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

1995-96 VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE of Orlando, Florida - Adjunct Art Faculty
Instruction in Fine Art and Graphic Design Departments
Portfolio, Illustration and Drawing Classes
1986 MEMORIAL ART GALLERY of The University of Rochester, New York
Wildlife Drawing and Painting Instructor
1986 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT, New York
Visiting Artist - slides and originals used to elaborate on the topics of wildlife art, illustration and graduate art programs
Recent & past - PRIVATE STUDIO INSTRUCTION:
Private Drawing and Painting Instructor
- ONTARIO ART CLUB, New York
  Drawing and Printmaking Workshop, lectures and critiques
- CHILI ART CLUB, New York
  Still life Workshops - in pencil and graphite drawing, chiaroscuro, perspective and spacial concepts, slide lectures, critiques
- UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, New York
  Guest Exhibiting Artist - slide lecture and critique of undergraduates' work
- PENFIELD ART ASSOCIATION, New York
  Oil painting Workshop - exploring creative composition, light and color
- NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AT ALBION, New York
  Visual Study Presentations for the inmates
- IRONDEQUOIT ARTISTS, New York
  Watercolor Workshop
- STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT, New York
  Guest Exhibiting Artist - slide lecture and critique of undergraduates' work
1976-80 CHURCHVILLE-CHILI SCHOOLS, New York Substitute Art Teacher - grades nine through twelve
GREECE CENTRAL SCHOOL AND CHURCHVILLE CHILI SCHOOL Continuing Ed. Programs, New York - Painting and Drawing Instructor - Positions commenced with Beginning Watercolors. I developed the programs and student interest to include both beginning and advanced classes in drawing and painting. Successfully utilized versatile teaching skills to meet the diverse levels and interest of students, particularly in water media. This included transparent watercolor, acrylics, colored pencils and inks. Curriculum included traditional and experimental techniques, color theory, design, art history, beginning and advanced problem solving.
1975-77 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT, New York Photographic Lab Assistant (undergraduate work study) - Position responsibilities included instructing students in black and white developing, solarizing, dodging, burning in, superimposing negatives, use of beseler enlargers, contact printer, dryer, mounting machine, maintenance of equipment, chemicals and inventory.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Florida & NY:
FINE ART, ILLUSTRATION AND DESIGN
Illustration and Design of Theme Parks, Worldwide. Painting commissions, murals, exhibitions, intense study and extensive artworks depicting portraits, figure and landscape. Editorial and advertising illustration including books, magazine covers, catalogs, brochures, logos, architectural rendering, trade show displays, slide presentations, and movie poster illustration. Use of Corel Draw computer program and Canon Color laser to design brochures, posters, logos, and book illustration. Versatility in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pencil, ink and airbrush medias.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

Graphic Arts Guild

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND SLIDE PRESENTATIONS:

Roberts Wesleyan College, North Chili, New York
House of Hope, Orlando, Florida
Edgewood Children's Ranch, Orlando, Florida
Numerous churches including Wesleyan, Free Methodist, Assembly of God, Baptist, Community Churches, Church of the Nazarene

TELEVISION SET DESIGN:

SET DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND SPECIAL EFFECTS PAINTING FOR COMMUNITY CAFE TALK SHOW. The French Cafe set features the "Lessord Gallery" window which exhibits original paintings by the artist which are used as a back drop when rolling the credits.
SET DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND SPECIAL EFFECTS PAINTING FOR DISASTER AWARENESS TALK SHOW. Set features a living room setting that appears to have just gone through a hurricane or disaster.

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION:

BENTLEY HOUSE FINE ART PUBLISHING AND ART LICENSING PARTNERS, Walnut Creek California. Licensed products include prints, gift bags, stationary, refrigerator magnets, note cards, and figurines. NON-EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT.

FREELANCE CLIENTS:

WALT DISNEY WORLD CO., RICHARD CRANE PRODUCTIONS, RANDOM HOUSE, WESTERN PUBLISHING, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, TROLL, SCHOLASTIC, CENTURY 21, AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, NOTI-FNAGLE, NAVALIS CO., MARTIN MARIETTA, AVIONICS, IBM, ROCHESTER BUSINESS MAGAZINE, NEW YORK STATE BUSINESS COUNCIL, ROCHESTER RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, PRB DESIGN, UNICORN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR CARS, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, CTM, BERG PRODUCTIONS, SPORTING DOG SPECIALTIES, TRACK'N TRAIL SPORT SHOPS, PRESENTATIONS SOUTH AND MANY OTHERS.

SELECTED AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:

First place in CARD REP COMPETITION, 2001. - Judges from Hallmark and Gibson Greeting Cards Co.
"THE CRUCIFIXION" FEATURED ON THE COVER OF THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION "THE MANY FACES OF CHRIST". Biblical artwork from museums and private collections around the world including such masters as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, El Grecco and Delacroix.
SILVER SPRINGS WILDLIFE EXHIBITION - Invitational Juror
DUCKS UNLIMITED BANQUET - Fund-raising Exhibition
WHO'S WHO WORLDWIDE - Business and Fine Art
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES - Commission, Florida Sea Grant poster
FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION - Featured Artist, Print Artist
WILDLIFE ART NEWS - 1988-89 International Artist Profile Yearbook
MEMORIAL ART GALLERY - Juror's Award, Drawing
NATIONAL WILDLIFE EXHIBITION - Watercolor Award
NAZARETH COLLEGE - Eve Staudenmeir Award, Oil
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION - Print Artist
PM MAGAZINE - Featured Commissioned Ceiling Mural
TORONTO'S PRESTIGE GALLERY - International Invitational Wildlife Exhibition
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - Grand Prize, Watercolor
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT - 30 Year Retrospective Invitational
MORNING BREAK - Television Interview
WWWG SOUND OFF - Radio Interview
NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PORTFOLIO AWARD - Scholarship to Rochester Institute of Technology, four Blue Ribbons
PORTRAIT OF PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON DISPLAYED TN THE OVAL OFFICE AND THE UNITED STATES SENATE

ONE MAN EXHIBITIONS:

1996 ORLANDO MUSEUM OF ART, Artist of the month - Wildlife & Landscape
1989 FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, Orlando, Florida
1982 THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER, Rochester, New York
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN, Rochester, New York
1980 WESTERN MONROE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Brockport, New York
1979 CLIFFSIDE GALLERY, Penfield, New York
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT, Brockport, New York

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2000 JESUS 2000 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, Bellevue, IL - Invitational
2000 ORLANDO CITY HALL TERRACE GARDEN, Orlando, FL - Juried Competition
1999 UNITED STATES CAPITOL ROTUNDA, Washington, D.C. - International Invitational
1996 VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, East Campus - First Faculty Invitational
1992 MAITLAND ARTS FESTIVAL, Maitland, Florida - National Juried Exhibition
ORLANDO ARTISTS BIENNIAL, Orlando, Florida - Invitational Exhibition, City Hall
1991 SUN BANK, Orlando, Florida - Invitational Wildlife Exhibition
1991 ATLANTIC FLYWAY GALLERY, Orlando, Florida - Wildlife Artists
1990 A FINAL TOUCH INTERIORS, Orlando, Florida
1989 PRESTIGE GALLERY, Ontario, Canada - International Invitational, Wildlife Artists
THE WILDLIFE GALLERY, Orlando, Florida
1988 NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, Raleigh, NC - National Exhibition
FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - National Art Auction
1986 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, Avon, NY
GOLDEN LYNX GALLERY, Rochester, New York - Group Exhibition, Wildlife Artists
1985 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT - Invitational 30 Year Retrospective
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, Washington, D.C.
WWXI PUBLIC TELEVISION, Rochester, New York
1983 NATIONAL SACRED ARTS V EXHIBITION, Wheaton, Illinois - Juried Exhibition
1982 ARTIST SHOWCASE, Penfield, New York
1981 NAZARETH COLLEGE, Rochester, New York - Juried Exhibition
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT - Invitational Exhibition
1980 MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, Rochester, New York - Juried Exhibition
NAZARETH COLLEGE, Rochester, New York - Juried Exhibition
MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, Rochester, New York - Juried Exhibition
1979 MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, Rochester, New York - Juried Exhibition

CORPORATE AND OTHER COLLECTIONS:

ALTIERS, ANTONELLI FIRESTONE, ARTS FOR GREATER ROCHESTER, CHURCHVILLE CHILI ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, FLORIDA WILDLIFE FEDERATION, GANNETT NEWSPAPERS, HOUSE OF HOPE, IBM, IMPCO, MARTIN MARIETTA, MONROE LITHO, MY OFFICE RESTAURANT, NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, NAVALIS COMPANY, NEW YORK STATE BUSINESS COUNCIL, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, NOTHNAGLE GALLERY OF HOMES, PEARCE MEMORIAL CHURCH, PETER J. SCHMITT COMPANY INC., PILOT AIR FREIGHT, PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATION WXXI, ROCHESTER BUSINESS MAGAZINE, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ROCHESTER RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, SENATOR ROGER AND DEE JEPSEN, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BROCKPORT, STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF FLORIDA, UNICORN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR CARS, UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY COLLECTION, VITOCH INTERIORS, WALTON ADVERTISING, WESTERN MONROE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WVOR RADIO STATION, WWWG RADIO STATION, ARTWORKS IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD

RECOMMENDATIONS

"Gary is talented, versatile and easy to work with. He's not only an artist, but a perfectionist and responsible businessman. It was a pleasure to work with him."

- Arthur Vitoch, President of Vitoch Interior Design
Rochester, New York

"Gary has a rich and varied background and an established record of accomplishments. He is highly creative, outstanding and sincerely committed to his art. He has my highest recommendation."

- Jack Wolsky, Professor of Art
State University of New York at Brockport

"Distinguished work, outstanding, an unusually high level of motivation, competence and skill. A gifted creative artist and individual."

- Alfred Wunderlich, Painting Department Chairman
Rhode Island School of Design

"Gary Lessord is a truly versatile artist. Whether the piece is a portrait, a landscape or a brief encounter with our dreams, there is a magnetic quality that reaches out and captures the viewer."

- Donna Frommater
Collector of Fine Art
Florida

"I have been extremely pleased with every portrait I have commissioned Gary to do. It has been a pleasure to use his professional skills for both my business and personal needs."

- David George, Business Entrepreneur
New York

"Gary is an Artists-Artist for he not only has practical experience and the ability to get the job done right, but possesses artistic discernment. Gary is perceptive, knows what a client is trying to convey and consequently can implement a practical but always unique solution to any art challenge."

- John Florence, Owner/General Manager
Creative Sign Source Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

[Prints] [Originals] [Wall Murals] [Custom Commissions]

©2008 Gary Lessord. All images, all rights reserved. Not for use by others in any form, including electronic reproductions (i.e. for your website or personal computer desktop). Please contact Gary Lessord for a license to use or to purchase any of these works as originals, cards, or prints. KGLessord@aol.com

Gary Lessord Professional Resume 2003