The exhibit “Steaming Up River” features over 20 of Gary Lucy's  limited-edition signed & numbered prints, and will be on view at the gallery through June, 2012.    

Growing up in the Missouri boot heel, Gary Lucy never envisioned a life in art. Starting college at Southeast Missouri State University in 1967, Lucy’s goal was to get his CPA with a degree in marketing and advertising. A career in business seemed a logical and sensible choice. However, Lucy’s career path changed direction after an invitation to take a drawing class with a friend. “It’s kind of interesting how one little event can change your life,” Lucy said. Though he took the drawing class as a means to give his mind a break—a grown up kind of recess, Lucy discovered a love and aptitude for the work, and he began researching a change in major. In the end, Lucy decided that teaching art would be the best for him, allowing him to pursue his interests and still pay his bills.

After graduation, Lucy taught elementary art for one year in the Washington, Missouri School District, but the desire to earn a living as a full time artist pulled at him. During his senior year of college, as president of the art club, Lucy arranged for a club meeting at the home of a metal sculptor who had recently moved into the area. Passing through the artist’s carport on the way to his studio, Lucy noticed a Corvette sitting next to a pickup truck. During the course of the evening, Lucy had the opportunity to ask the artist, “Do you truly make your living as an artist, and do you make enough money to pay for that Corvette?” The artist’s answer was a simple yes. It was a moment of epiphany for Lucy. At that moment he knew if that artist could make a living solely off his art, he could too. After only one year of teaching, Lucy was ready to try his hand as a professional artist.

The year 2004 was the culmination of 20 years of loving work and painstaking research for Lucy. Coinciding with the 200th anniversary celebration of the Louisiana Purchase, Lucy returned to the old courthouse in downtown St. Louis with 82 original paintings for his exhibit “Inland Waterways: The Highways of Our Heritage.”Included in the exhibit were 8 paintings of the journey of Lewis and Clark that have been reprinted over 225 million times worldwide.

From 2004 to 2007, Lucy’s next project was a mural “Inland Waterways: The Highways of Our Heritage” for Southeast Missouri State University for the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Gary Lucy continues to pursue his art up and down the river and into the pages of the past. The River Rover, a 35 foot houseboat converted into a studio, makes a great escape for him to paint, read, write about current works, and simply enjoy the river. His canine pet Petie keeps him company along the way. Gary Lucy resides in Washington, MO above the gallery run by his wife, Sandy.

To see more on Gary go to:    www.garylucy.com



For more information about the gallery visit the website,  www.zuzakwonderstore.com  or come by during regular business hours, Thursday - Saturday, 11 - 6 pm and Sunday, 12 - 5 pm, or call  573-694-1672.