As a high school senior, Gary received the National Scholastic Portfolio Award in New York City along with a scholarship to Rochester Institute of Technology. Gary continued his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Brockport and earned a Master of Fine Art Degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Summa Cum Laude. To date, the artist has received over 100 awards and recognitions.

     Over the years, his work has gone through great transitions in subject matter, technique and style. The thrill of exploration has motivated the artist to experiment with and create numerous works in pencil, lithography, intaglio, pen and ink, watercolor, oil and acrylic media. He now works primarily in acrylic, watercolor and pencil.

     Lessord has extensive experience in the publication realm, having produced illustrations for magazine covers, books, brochures, and the motion picture industry. His talent has enriched the creative needs of numerous major clients including Disney, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Richard Crane Productions and many others.

     Gary's fine art is in public and private collections across the United States, Canada and Europe. He has also held a variety of teaching positions including instructor of wildlife painting and drawing at the University of Rochester's Memorial Art Gallery and illustration and portfolio classes at Valencia Community College, Orlando and others.

     His internationally renowned oil painting “The Crucifixion,” created in 1979 (twenty-five years prior to “The Passion of the Christ”), has been acclaimed around the world as the most intense and scripturally accurate depiction of that event ever seen.  In June 1999 "The Crucifixion" was exhibited by invitation in the Rotunda of the United States Russell Senate Building in Washington, D.C.   The painting was chosen as the featured promotional image for the internationally juried art competition and traveling exhibition Jesus 2000.  Artists from 19 countries competed for the privilege of having their work in this exhibition with only 60 works of art chosen.  “The Crucifixion” was also on the cover of "The Many Faces of Christ," a book of international museum and private collection artworks depicting Christ by such masters as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, El Greco, and Delacroix.  Pope John Paul II wrote the introduction to this book.  It was a great honor for the artist, as many of the old masters he studied in his Master of Fine Arts program were included in the publication along with his own art.

     Gary has exhibited his painting, “Creative Splendor,” in Washington DC at the United States Russell Senate Building Rotunda.  He had the great privilege of speaking in the Senate Caucus Room to a group of international artists at that time.  This painting also had the honor of being chosen for a special international invitational fundraising event in New York City at the Society of Illustrators Museum.  This event was held to honor the heroism and humanity demonstrated in the wake of the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001.

     Gary's subjects span the areas of portrait, figure and landscape. The artist strives to create a sensation of "life" and "belonging" through the depiction of light, shadow, and mood of the passing moment. He believes these are vital ingredients for successful artworks. The artist's continuous goal is to portray with love, respect and intensity the magnificent created beauty he sees before him and to share that vision and appreciation with others.