ARTIST’S BIO
Thomas attended Layton School of Art and became an Illustrator, creating artwork for advertising and children’s books for many national and local companies during the last 46 years. During summers he exhibited at Art Fairs and also did Pastel Portraits.
Recently Thomas has been doing Plein Air Painting ( painting from life outdoors). Much of his current work is representative of this discipline. He tries to capture the light and atmosphere of a scene within a few hours. Thomas believes that a painting is not just a two dimensional illusion, but also that of a moment in life, captured by an artist on canvas.
Thomas is a founding member of the Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Association. The WIPAPA has been established as a state-wide fellowship of artists dedicated to promoting and practicing the traditional discipline of Plein Air painting. Members seek to honestly interpret the natural and man-made beauty and diversity of Wisconsin’s landscapes and culture. We will strive to enhance members’ skills and reputations by providing regular opportunities to paint outdoors together and critique our work and share our expertise with fellow artists in order to maintain the highest standards of the Plein Air tradition of painting.
Thomas states he has found that while doing a painting outdoors he is immersed in the moment, later when he looks at the painting ” I can remember all the things that went on as I painted, the weather, the birds singing, a small animal moving through the scene, people who have stopped to talk to me.” The memories are all part of the painting.
