Chancie Ferris Booth Distinguished Professor Emerita of Art Lynette Lombard passed away on November 8, 2023. Lombard’s dedication and passion left an enduring impression on the lives of her students, colleagues, and Knox College.
A member of the Knox faculty since 1990, Lombard made a significant artistic impact through her courses in painting, interpreting landscapes, and drawing. Her intense focus on and respect for student work influenced her colleagues and inspired countless students to take themselves seriously as artists. Dozens of Lombard’s students have been accepted to prestigious graduate programs, and many others have discovered fulfilling life-long passions for art.
Lombard received a bachelor of arts degree from Goldsmiths’ College of Art University of London in 1976 and a master of fine arts degree from Yale University in 1989, and attended the New York Studio School for two years. Lombard’s paintings have been shown widely in both group and solo exhibits across the United States and Europe, including numerous exhibits at the Bowery Gallery in New York; the Museum of Modern Art in Mojacar, Spain; the Lohin Geduld Gallery in New York; the Newtownbarry House of Ireland; the Westbeth Gallery in New York; and the Artemisia Gallery in Chicago, among others.
Lombard’s list of professional honors is among the most acclaimed at Knox. She received the Philip Green Wright Lombard Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1999, multiple Knox Faculty research/creative work grants, and the Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence in 2022. She also founded the Knox in New York art program in 1994, with her husband, Associate Professor Emeritus of Art Tony Gant, with whom Lombard also co-chaired the Department of Art from 2002 to 2011.
“For over 30 years we were privileged to have Lynette share her talent and friendship with the Knox community. The impact she had as an artist, teacher, scholar, mentor, and colleague is far-reaching and immeasurable,” said President C. Andrew McGadney.
Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider added, "Lynette was such a vibrant and unrelenting optimist for the power of student engagement and creativity. I could always count on her to reflect deeply and find possibilities in any situation. Her memory serves as an enduring reminder to not permit ourselves to fail in imagining what could be.”