Like most of us, Tom
began painting soon after learning to walk.Unlike many,
drawing and painting has
been his constant companion ever since. Currently,
Tom paints weekly with a
group of friends known only to themselves as the
Dumpster School. His subjects
range from local architecture and landscapes to
still life objects.
Watercolor has been Tom’s media of choice primarily because of
it’s simplicity and
portability, painting outside is a particular pleasure for him.
Watercolor is a
fascinating medium, it has a mind of its own. Tom finds a major
task in painting is
getting out of the way, both spiritually and physically.
Spiritually, to see the
painting as it unfolds - without the filter of a concept or
abstract notion.
Physically, so as not to interfere with the paint’s own mixing -
directly on the paper.
Tom believes that a painting is a painting, that it must
stand on it’s own as a
collection of colored blotches on white paper, a collection
that has the ability, if
organized properly, to bring life to the world where none
existed before. Subject
matter is only a starting point for his paintings, an
organizing framework for
color and value.
