The late Bernard Lennon was born in Milton, Massachusetts, in 1914.  He attended the Massachusetts School of Art on scholarship studying with Elmer Green, but was largely self-taught, particularly with regard to his highly developed skills as an impressionist.

His early life required that he support his family with various jobs including seven years as a barge captain on the Hudson River.  In 1959 he became a full time artist.  He painted professionally from then until his death in 1992, exhibiting mainly in outdoor shows such as the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit, where he won many awards including Best Impressionist Landscape in his last show in 1992.  He also exhibited yearly at the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival.

His studio in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, became a magnet for many artists particularly those from New York City who looked on him as a mentor and respected fellow professional artist and loved the opportunity to join him painting the local landscape.  His two main students, Susan Grisell and Richard Stalter, continue the artistic community he established to this day.

He was a master of color and light.  Choosing a broad scope of subject matter (portraits, figures, still lifes, seascapes, animals, etc.) he was especially drawn to landscape painting, and his work has a strong emotional appeal.  He believed a fine picture to be a delicate balance between the outer world and the artist’s inner world, as expressed in shapes and color.

His work is in collections throughout the world, including those of the British Vice Consul, Tom Brokaw, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Oz (Producer of Sesame Street).