Lesa Cook grew up in South Carolina and received a BA in studio art from the University of South Carolina in 1987. She continued her fine art studies at: The Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC, The Art League in Alexandria, VA, The Schuler School of Art in Baltimore, MD, and The Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. She resides in Burkittsville, MD with her husband, where she paints, sculpts and teaches. She is a registered copyist at The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. She considers herself a classical realist, drawing inspiration from the great masters and trying to capture not only the natural form but the emotional reality as well.

Education

• Apprenticeship, Brian Booth Craig, East Stroudsburg, PA (2021)
• Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy, (10/2018 to 3/2020)
• The Schuler School of Art, Baltimore, MD Six Week Summer Session (2012)
• The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, copyist (2011-present)
• Art League, Alexandria, VA figure and portrait painting, sculpture and drawing (2003 – 2015)
• Studied under: Stephen Early, Charles Johnson, Robert Liberace, Dan Thompson, Rick Weaver.
• Flickinger Studios, Afton, VA Workshops in figure and portraiture sculpture under Charles Flickinger (2002-2007)
• Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. Studied figure sculpture under Charles Flickinger. (2002)
• George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Studied in an MFA program. (1990-1991)
• University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC BA, Studio Art and Printmaking. (1987)

Awards

• People’s Choice Award, (painting) Cumberland Valley Regional Show, Hagerstown, MD (2025)
• Juror’s Award, (painting) National Figurative Show, “The Figure: Portrait & Narrative” Wayne, PA (2025)
• Agof Agopoff Award for Classical Sculpture, National Sculpture Society, Brookgreen Gardens, SC (2024)
• People’s Choice Award (drawing) National Juried Show, Saville Gallery, Cumberland MD 8/2023
• Individual Artist Award Grant, (sculpture) Maryland State Arts Council, 2023
• Third Place (painting) National Juried show, Delaplaine Arts Center, Frederick, MD 2022
• Juror’s Choice Award, (painting) National Juried Show, Annapolis, MD 2022
• Scholarship, Florence Academy of Art, Florence, Italy (2020)
• Individual Artist Award Grant, Painting, Maryland State Arts Council, (2019)
• Sculpture Award, Juried Show, Cumberland Valley Regional Show, Hagerstown, MD (2/2018)
• Honorable Mention (painting) Strokes of Genuis, MFA Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD (11/2017)
• Second Place (painting) Expressions Portrait Competition, Artspace Herndon, VA (10/2017)
• Honorable Mention (sculpture) Expressions Portrait Competition, Artspace, Herndon, VA (10/2017)
• Benefactor Award (painting) Northern National Competition, Rhinelander, WI (10/2017)
• Honorable Mention (painting) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (4/2017)
• Honorable Mention (drawing) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (7/2014)
• Honorable Mention (sculpture) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (8/2012)
• Juror’s Award (painting) Juried Show, “About Faces”, Annmarie Sculpture Gardens, Solomons, MD (5/2011)
• Honorable Mention (drawing) Juried Show, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD (6/2011)
• Honorable Mention (painting) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (7/2010)
• Valley Art Association Award (sculpture) Juried Show, Cumberland Valley Regional Show, Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD (6/2010)
• Honorable Mention (drawing) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (7/2009)
• Honorable Mention (painting) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (5/2009)
• Honorable Mention (painting) Juried Show, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA (12/2008)
• Honorable Mention(sculpture) Juried National show, Gallery West, Alexandria, VA (2/2008)
• Merit Award (sculpture) Art League Student Show, Alexandria, VA (3/2006)