Gay Faulkenberry was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and attended Southwestern State University and Oklahoma State University. She enjoys teaching and says, "By verbalizing my painting process to others, I've learned more about my work…" Faulkenberry has taught in California, Arizona, Vermont, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Italy, France, and Belgium, and continues to hold workshops.

Faulkenberry's work is a reflection of a lifelong passion for art, painting, color, and for nature itself. Having been raised in a very artistic family, her earliest memories are working with color, and today, color inspires her to paint a variety of subjects: the shadow on a white farmhouse, a field of poppies, transparent light coming through a lily or a stand of golden aspens. It's that splash of color that speaks to Gay. From the initial spark, her paintings incorporate a combination of textures, mood and light. Although she paints outdoors as much as possible, she's also challenged to paint many other subjects, including still lifes and interiors. As a teacher, Faulkenberry finds that passing on what she's learned to other artists has been very rewarding. "Painting is about our life experiences. The relationships we develop with artists, students, collectors and those who appreciate art itself becomes an important part of our growth."

In 1994 she was awarded Best Landscape by the Oil Painters of America. She is a Signature Member of the Plein-Air Painters of America, a Master Signature Member of American Women Artists, and a Founding Member of the Oklahoma Society of Impressionists.