Artist Biography

Lou Toft studied fine art at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Mission Renaissance, California; and The Armory Art Center of Pasadena. Lou also studied with private instructors Bob Sweeney and Mark Bornowski with emphasis on drawing and painting.

Professional works include portraiture and still-life, scientific illustration for professional catalogs and botanicals. Lou’s work is also represented in the United States National Archives.

Lou is currently using mediums such as oils, acrylics, graphite, crayon, oil pastels and colored pencil to create fine art. Lou is an active member of the CPSA, an international organization of colored pencil artists.

The Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) was founded in 1990 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to artists over 18 years of age working with colored pencil. With about 1600 members worldwide and over 25 district chapters in the U.S.

"As an artist I give you something you can't get any other way. Based on my personal observations, talents and experiences, I offer something that only I can bring to a particular work of art—one artist’s point-of-view. Hopefully, it is an artwork that provides a tangible asset for the viewer.

The visual story is presented for the viewer to discover his or her own interpretation. Each person brings their own thoughts and emotions to the encounter.

I hope you will enjoy looking at my artwork as much as I enjoyed creating it."

—Lou Hardee Toft