Terry Gardner was born and raised in Missouri where he received his Bachelor of Arts from Maryville University. He moved west to paint the outdoors and develop an intimate relationship with the land and life of the west. Shortly after moving to Colorado he studied with Mark Daily and Quang Ho at the Art Students League of Denver. Gardner’s compositions are born from his surroundings but evolve in his studio to a place that is darker and deeper, a place where mystery and contemplation are nurtured. Terry has been devoted to fine art from a young age. He has balanced a career in the commercial arts and fine arts industry for many years. With the arrival of triplets in 2002, the advertising industry took lead to support his family, although he continued to participate in many regional and national shows, including Oil Painters of America, The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, and sixteen consecutive years at the Coors National Western Show in Denver. He has received several awards including the Little Jewel Award for Plein Air work in Tucson and the Award of Excellence from the editors of Southwest Art magazine. Gardner was selected as the featured artist for the 2019 Coors National Western Show. His work hangs in public and private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Terry currently is a full time artist living and working in Morrison, CO