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Thomas Locker (June 26, 1937 — March 9, 2012) was an American landscape painter and award winning illustrator, and author of Children's literature His oil paintings follow in the tradition of the 19th-century Hudson River School of painting.
Born in New York City, Thomas Locker was raised in Washington D.C. where his father worked as a lobbyist. At age six he started training in traditional old-world techniques with painte
Umberto Roberto Romano
. At age seven, Locker won first prize in the children's division of the
future director of the
''The Vincent Price Collection''
Chicago. During these years he also taught at Franklin College and Shimer College, while he and his wife raised their five children. In 1982, Locker began bringing the world of fine painting to children and young adults, producing thirty-six popular illustrated books. He authored most of these books and illustrated with his Hudson River School style oil paintings. Several books were collaborative works with his second wife, chemistry teacher and weaving exper
Candace Christiansen
Locker also illustrated books for other popular writers such as
Thomas Locker (June 26, 1937 — March 9, 2012) was an American landscape painter and award winning illustrator, and author of Children's literature His oil paintings follow in the tradition of the 19th-century Hudson River School of painting.
Born in New York City, Thomas Locker was raised in Washington D.C. where his father worked as a lobbyist. At age six he started training in traditional old-world techniques with painteUmberto Roberto Romano
. At age seven, Locker won first prize in the children's division of the
Washington Times-Herald
The ''Washington Times-Herald'' (1939–1954) was an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It was created by Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson of the Medill–McCormick–Patterson family (long-time owners of the ''Chicago Tribune'' ...
annual art fair. Locker earned an A.B. in Art History at the University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
and an M.A. from the American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
, Washington DC. While at the University of Chicago he studied under professor Joshua C. Taylofuture director of the
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (commonly known as SAAM, and formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds o ...
. After graduating, he studied art while travelling in Europe.
In 1964 Locker began his more than 75 solo exhibitions career, starting with the Banter Gallery, New York City. He painted 17th century Dutch-inspired oil landscapes, selling through Sears''The Vincent Price Collection''
Chicago. During these years he also taught at Franklin College and Shimer College, while he and his wife raised their five children. In 1982, Locker began bringing the world of fine painting to children and young adults, producing thirty-six popular illustrated books. He authored most of these books and illustrated with his Hudson River School style oil paintings. Several books were collaborative works with his second wife, chemistry teacher and weaving exper
Candace Christiansen
Locker also illustrated books for other popular writers such as
Jean Craighead George
Jean Carolyn Craighead George (July 2, 1919 – May 15, 2012) was an American writer of more than one hundred books for children and young adults, including the Newbery Medal-winning '' Julie of the Wolves'' and Newbery runner-up ''My Side ...
. Many of these books became staples of school libraries. Locker's works received numerous awards including the 1989 Christopher Award
The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organization ...
, the John Burroughs Medal The John Burroughs Medal, named for nature writer John Burroughs (1837–1921), is awarded each year in April by the John Burroughs Association to the author of a book that the association has judged to be distinguished in the field of natural hist ...
, the 1984 New York Times Book Review
''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...
Best Illustrated Children's Book and the ALA Notable American Library Association Notable lists are announced each year in January by various divisions within the American Library Association (ALA). There are six lists, part of the larger ALA awards structure.
* ''ALA Notable Books for Adults'' (est ...
Books for Children list.
Locker experienced a near-death aneurysm in 2002. After this he moved from the Hudson River Valley to the less populated Catskills and returned to full-time oil painting of the American landscape. He remained in Albany, N.Y. until his death at age 74.
Books
*''Where the River Begins (1984)'' *''The Mare on the Hill (1985)'' *''Sailing with the Wind (1986)'' *''Family Farm (1988)'' *''Snow Toward Evening: A Year in a River Valley / Nature Poems selected by Josette Frank (1990)'' *''Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back: A Native American Year of Moons (1992)'' *''Miranda's Smile (1994)'' *''To Climb a Waterfall (1995)'' *Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art (1995) *''Water Dance (1997)'' *''Cloud Dance (2000) *''In Blue Mountains: An Artist's Return to America's First Wilderness'' (2000) *''Mountain Dance (2001)'' *''Images of Conservationists (Series)'': ''Walking With Henry: Based on the Life and Works of Henry David Thoreau'' (2002)'' *''Images of Conservationists (Series)'': ''Rachel Carson: Preserving a Sense of Wonder'' *''Images of Conservationists (Series)'': ''John Muir: America's Naturalist'' *''Images of Conservationists (Series)'': ''Teacher's Guide to John Muir'' *''The Boy Who Held Back the Sea.'' A retelling of the traditional Dutch folktale. *''Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle'' *''The Ugly Duckling as told by Marianne Mayer'' *''Catskill Eagle by Herman Melville'' *''Anna and the Bagpiper'' *''The Ice Horse'' *''Grandfather's Christmas Tree'' *''The First Thanksgiving'' *''Calico and Tin Horns'' * *''The Young Artist'' * *''Rembrandt and Titus: Artist and Son;'' by Madeleine Comora *''Rembrandt and Titus Classroom Posters'' *''Home: A Journey through America'' *''Hudson: The Story of a River'' *''Journey to the Mountaintop: On Living and Meaning'' *''The Land of Gray Wolf'' *''The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet'' * *''Between Earth & Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places'' *''The Man Who Paints Nature by Thomas Locker'' (''Meet the Author'' series; Richard C. Owen Publishers)Exhibition catalogs
*Exhibition catalog: "''Thomas Locker: The New American Realism"'' (R.S. Johnson-International Gallery, Spring, 1972) *Exhibition catalog: ''"Thomas Locker: American landscapes: xhibitionSeptember 16-October 4, 1980, Hammer Galleries, New York" ''Notes