Lois Pluskey
Fine Art - Visual Storyteller
Lois Pluskey
"I see or experience something and I think, “I must try to capture this feeling as art!”
Lois was born in Bristol Pennsylvania. She was raised in Levittown Pennsylvania and was one of four daughters to a WWII Veteran, dad, an electrician by trade, and a mom who was a stay-at-home mom. Being a quiet and introverted child, 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 many 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 very 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 and with a desire to pursue art, 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, (currently The University of the Arts). 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 Phillip Richards, Bernice D’Vorzon, Herb Simon, Richard Fuller, and many fine art teachers. She graduated in 1978 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. After 23 years as InterMetro Industries Senior Digital Content Specialist, she retired to pursue her greatest love, fine art! She has been studying in the studio of Atelier Joel Carson Jones. Joel has established an international reputation for his Still Life and Trompe L’oeil paintings. In 2008, Joel Carson Jones was granted the title of Living Master by the International Art Renewal Center. Under Joel’s instruction, Lois has been learning realistic charcoal drawing, pastel drawing and oil painting. Lois takes additional workshop training yearly which has included, The Diagnostic Painter at the ANI Academy under Anthony Waichulis, Realism Live, a 3-day online training with a host of contemporary established artists and Dan Scott's Master Color Class.
About the creative process, Lois states: "All of 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!” 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! My style is between realism and painterly realism. I continue to explore and let’s see where it takes me."
Lois’s award-winning work has been juried into many regional, national, and international competitions and shows and been included in several publications: Artist Magazine Strokes of Genius Best of Drawing, Pastel Journal, and the Art Renewal Center 16th International Salon.