John T. (Tom) Sheppard Born: Hastings, NE. Jan. 26, 1946. During the next fifteen years I lived in Nebraska, California, and Iowa. In 1964, I graduated from Manilla Community High School in Manilla, Iowa. Attended Hastings (NE) College, graduating in 1969 with a B.A. in Art with a teaching certificate for grades K-12. I studied with Gary Coulter, Anne Kingsbury, and Richard Brink at Hastings. The focus of my work was in painting under the guidance of Richard Brink. I concluded my study with a one-man show in the student union. Concluded college studies in January of 1969. Art teaching assignments include Lohrville (IA) Community Schools (1969-71); Lone Tree (IA) Schools (1971-73); York (NE) Public Schools (1973-1988); Lincoln Public Schools (NE) 1992-2001. I also taught art at York College (York, NE) in 1986-87 and at Luther College (Decorah, IA) from 2001-2004. While living and teaching in Lone Tree, IA, I attended the University of Iowa, where I began to take graduate studio courses, garnering 12 graduate hours in drawing and painting. While teaching in York, I attended the University of Nebraska and Concordia University (Seward, NE) and completed an additional 26 graduate hours, primarily in painting. In 1969 I entered my first juried show. I was accepted into the 5-State Show at the Art Center in Sioux City, IA, winning third-place recognition. For the next several years I continued to enter shows and display my work on a regular basis in the Midwest. In 1984 I arrived at what I consider my most unique and personal work to this point. This style focuses on nonobjective painting, primarily in acrylic and latex with some work completed in watercolor. In 1986 I attained 3rd place recognition at the state painting competition held in Columbus, NE. I have had other work win awards, including several years at the annual Nebraska Art Educators Show and Wesleyan’s Fred Wells Juried Show. I was also included in a show of Nebraska painters in 1984 and again 1990 at UNL’s Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery. In 1988 I left teaching and began working for a private company and focusing more on my art. During this time I worked with an agent, and completed work for many corporations and private collectors across the Midwest. Mitsubishi Motors, Security Mutual Life, Gallup, McDonald’s Restaurants, Gas ‘N Shop, Lincoln Benefit Life, Omaha Magazine, Smith-St. John Corporation, and the Omaha Housing Authority were a few of my clients. My work has been in galleries in San Diego, Santa Fe, Denver, Colorado Springs, St. Louis, etc. I also had shows at the Sheldon Gallery, the Elder Gallery at Nebraska Wesleyan University, and private Lincoln and Omaha galleries. In 1992 I accepted a teaching position with Lincoln Public Schools. I began teaching at Lincoln High School, later at Dawes Middle School and then at Southeast High School. In 1994 I won first place at the Nebraska Art Educator’s Show with a large nonobjective painting entitled Flag. In that same year, I had a silkscreen print (Tux-Deluxe) accepted into the permanent collection of the Addison Museum of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts. In 1995 I was also included in the Texas National Show, juried by nationally known artist Leon Golub. In 1999 I began teaching at Lincoln Public School’s “Art and Humanities Focus Program”, a new avenue for students to pursue in-depth study in art and related fields. This program draws a small group of students (65) from all the city public and private schools into a setting of interdisciplinary study with an emphasis on the arts and humanities. I was also a part of the curriculum development and planning group for this program, creating the art courses offered. I have partnered with the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden (University of Nebraska, Lincoln) for extended learning on numerous occasions including a 4-part video production for distribution to schools in Nebraska as well as an interactive tour of the Sheldon collection on CD. I also hosted workshops for art teachers in certain media as part of the State Teachers’ Convention. In August of 1999 I earned my M.A. degree from the University of Nebraska with a 3.8 GPA. In addition, I have 36 hours in studio painting alone. In November of 1999, I received my National Board Certification in secondary art, making me the first recipient of this honor in the state. After receiving this award, I assisted in several workshops in teacher training and development for Lincoln Public Schools using the National Board certification process as a model. In March of 2000 I was named “Secondary Art Teacher of the Year” by the Nebraska Art Teachers Association (for the 1999 school year) and was presented the award at the state capitol. Later the same year two of my colleagues and myself were awarded the “2000 Nebraska Teacher Achievement Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching” from the Peter Kiewit Foundation. I continued to teach at the Art & Humanities Focus Program through the 2000-2001 school year. During this time I also had a silkscreen print accepted into the permanent collection of the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden (University of Nebraska, Lincoln) as well as into the Museum of Nebraska Art (M.O.N.A.) in Kearney. In 2001 my wife, Kim, became the principal for Decorah (IA) High School. I resigned from teaching in Nebraska and began work as a part-time adjunct professor at Luther College (located in Decorah) and painted in my studio. In 2002, I had a large painting accepted into the 25th annual Fred Wells National Juried Show held at Nebraska Wesleyan’s Elder Gallery. This same work was purchased by Doane College (Crete, NE) for their permanent art collection. In the fall of 2002 I had a major show of new work at Luther College featuring the first showing of paintings from a new series of related works. In the spring of 2003 a painting was accepted into the 2003 ‘Impressions’ Show at the Blandon Art Museum in Ft. Dodge, IA. I was a professor in the education and art departments of Luther College for the years 2001-2004. I taught in the classroom and also was in charge of supervision for art education students in their initial student-teacher experiences. In the fall of 2004, I accepted an art teaching position with the Decorah Community Schools, a placement I have maintained. I continue to paint in my studio, display when possible and seek to advance my artistic visions.