September 2012
Blue Fox
Artist Statement
The animal kingdom and mankind engage in an ongoing dance of co-existence which results in a predictable tension. This tension has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the Earth. One particular issue is global warming which has had a significant impact on all living things. Climate changes will minimally upset and perhaps ultimately destroy ecosystems. As a result, mammals already compete for survival in smaller and smaller spaces, while temperature changes alter migration patterns of fish, birds, and insects. I feel strongly that the cumulative impact of negative environmental changes cannot be ignored.
Having grown up on a Pennsylvania farm, I am inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s rural landscapes, characterized by subtle, but powerful emotion. I hope to strike a similar emotional connection in the viewer by illustrating a disturbed world that has been thrown out of balance as a result of climate changes created by man’s blind disregard in fulfilling immediate, self-serving needs. These photomontages are composed of animals, children, and adults, all of which are potential victims and at risk.
Biography
Tom completed a BFA in 1985 from Ringling School of Art with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. Through work as an art director Tom has become very attuned to a wide range of photographic approaches and the ability of computer software, such as Photoshop, to enhance artistic expression through photography. Since 1998 Tom has devoted himself to photomontage for sharing the intriguing unspoken stories reflecting his view of the world.
Currently, Tom is represented by six galleries in the United States and Spain. His work has been shown nationally and internationally through sixteen solo and numerous group exhibitions, as well as in a wide range of print and online publications. Tom has received recognition for his photomontages through a variety of international awards, as well as fellowships from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
