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Tom was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan but has lived most of his life in Alberta. His very early interest in art lay not fully activated, while he established a career in business and raised two wonderful children with his wife, Dora. He currently resides in Edmonton and paints from his home studio.
Moving his family to Edmonton in 1983 was the catalyst for his artistic life. While looking for an activity to provide him with more fulfillment, he enrolled in a watercolor class which provided a direction and focus for his rediscovered artistic energies. Classes and workshops with several professionals in the medium refined his technical skills and have allowed the development of a unique and recognizable style which continues to evolve. Tom paints a very broad spectrum of subject matter, and often chooses to include the human form to provide a focus of interest. Subjects are often set in common places and are rendered realistically without being photographic. The themes of his paintings are chosen to evoke strong emotions in the viewer and to provoke a strong identification with the subject. Exploring various subject matter has resulted in such accomplishments as a corporate calendar, an international magazine cover, and recognition, three times, by The Artist's Magazine for submissions to its annual international art competition. Tom's current focus is to create a body of figurative work because including people in his work gives it a "life" like nothing else can. He feels that rendering the human face and from forces him to hone his skills and to create likeness in a way that no other subject does. Tom has taught several classes and workshops locally and has lately been directing his energy toward organizing and escorting annual two-week "safaris" to Cuba for the enjoyment of artists and non-artists alike. In 2001, Tom was invited by the University of Havana, Cuba to exhibit there. With his career in business successfully concluded, Tom is concentrating on establishing a solid reputation for his artwork by actively seeking recognition through varied exhibitions throughout Canada and the United States. His paintings also hang in private and public collection across Canada, USA and Europe. Tom is a Signature Member of the Society of Western Canadian Artists in Edmonton as well as an Active Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists in Vancouver. What started out as a wonderful hobby in 1983 has developed into a very rewarding second career. Tom says, "Creating my art is much like being paid to eat ice cream. |
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NEW! In the Gallery
