Lanford Monroe

Lanford Monroe grew up surrounded by art. She was greatly influenced by her parents, illustrator C.E. Monroe and portraitist Betty Monroe, as well as her neighbors, the famed John Clymer and Bob Kuhn. Monroe completed her first commission by the age of six. She received the Hallmark Scholarship in Fine Art and attended the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida. Monroe traveled extensively through North America, settling in many places for short periods of time.

Monroe usually depicted moody landscapes, which are always occupied by native wildlife. She loved horses and often used them for her subject matter in paintings and sculptures. Utilizing subtle tones and color changes, she created soft renderings of southern scenes. Over the years, she abandoned watercolors, in favor of working with oils. The oil paint allowed her images and compositions to evolve during the painting process as opposed to the one-shot watercolors, which only replicated her first impression.

Monroe received many awards, including the Society of Animal Artists Awards of Excellence, the American Academy of Equine Art Popular and Landscape awards, the 1994 Grand Teton Natural History Association Award, and three awards from the Salmagundi Club. Monroe's work is recognized in many private collections and museums, including the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum of Wildlife Art, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Philip Morris, Southern Bell, and the National Museum of Wildlife Art. In 2001, the first annual Lanford Monroe Award was presented in memory of her life and artistic accomplishments at the National Museum of Art's Western Visions: Miniatures and More Show and Sale in association with Trailside Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming.