Guy H. Lockwood was born in Minneapolis, MN on June 26, 1870. In 1892, Lockwood established the first correspondence art school in America by instructing art students by mail from Lincoln, Nebraska. Lockwood was the editor and publisher of the Art and Life Magazine. A magazine that appealed to amateur artists. He is the author of several well-known art textbooks. Lockwood wrote numerous novels and more than 7000 sonnets, a book of verse on Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays and more than 100 other books covering a wide variety of subjects. Lockwood moved to Kalamazoo and became an instructor of the Acme Art School in 1891.

For a long time Lockwood was a member of the Kalamazoo Socialist Party and in 1912, Lockwood would be elected as an Alderman to the City of Kalamazoo, where he would serve two terms. Being a member of the socialist party, Lockwood was against the US involvement of world war one and he created many opposition cartoons and booklets to the war.

Lockwood eventually opened The Lockwood Studio in 1920. The school itself is capable of caring for 25 resident students and the surrounding area would provide inspiration for the students. Adjacent to the school was the home of Guy Lockwood and his wife. The home was designed entirely by Lockwood.

Guy Lockwood died in his home at the age of 77 in 1947.