If you've ever admired a Lancaster County landmark, chances are, Tom Hermansader has painted it. For more than 40 years, Hermansader has been making his mark on the art world, creating paintings of churches, houses, bridges, schools and more. Now 71, he's selling his originals and hoping to find buyers in the area so the works can remain close to home.

"I'd like my paintings to go to the places they feature," he stated. "It's a recorded piece of history."

Hermansader started dabbling in art as a child. "My dad was a painter, and ever since I was about 5 years old, I've been drawn to it," he recalled. "It was almost like watching a magic show. He'd start with white paper, put a few strokes down and the next thing you know, it's the beginning of a painting."

He first pursued art school, attending the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, but soon realized it would not be easy to make a living as an artist. He transferred to Kutztown University and earned a degree in art education before moving to Columbia and teaching art at Columbia High School from 1973 to 1989.

Although he enjoyed teaching, he still had a passion to paint, and he created his first painting of a local site - Wright's Ferry Mansion in Columbia - in 1981. "I put the print on display at the market house in Columbia to see if I could sell it, but I wasn't sure how it would be received," he said. "I ended up taking orders for 54 prints in the first two days."

Encouraged that perhaps he could eventually make a living as an artist, Hermansader kept painting, finding inspiration all over the county and beyond.

He spends about 300 hours working on each painting, paying painstaking attention to detail from multiple photos he takes at the site. "Every brick, every stone in each building is exact," he stated. "Nothing is estimated. I may be off by one, but I kind of doubt it." In his painting of the Strasburg Rail Road, for example, he remembers counting 169 fence posts. His painting of the Veterans Memorial Bridge is exact down to the bridge's bolts. His attention to detail and his focus on local landmarks has earned Hermansader an award from the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County.

Subjects of Hermansader's work include Donegal Presbyterian Church, Wheatland, the Fulton Theatre, the Hans Herr House and Linden Hall. He recently sold an original of the Conestoga House to its new owner and is in the process of selling a painting of Lititz Moravian Church to a Lititz resident.

Although he admits he has slowed down a bit with his painting, he is still finding local inspiration. He's currently working on a painting of Steinman Park in downtown Lancaster. And he can't imagine giving up what he loves anytime soon.

"I must have something with my brain and my eye, because when I see certain colors or patterns, I'm happy," he said. "I've been blessed in my life. Anything I liked, I've painted, and I've been able to do what I wanted to do."

For more information on Hermansader's work, visit http://www.hermansadersartgallery.com, email him at tfhermansader@comcast.net or call him at 717-684-7899.