Creation, an international graphic art magazine, has described Tom’s work as “conceptual, with a humorous twist that often voices social concerns.” The paintings are acrylic on canvas or hardboard. Many are in private collections and shown in galleries and museums including the prestigious Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA and the Society of Illustrators Museum in New York.
Since 1975, Tom has accumulated awards as an illustrator from American Illustration, Communication Arts, The New York Art Director’s Club, Graphis, The Society of Illustrators, and Print. He has created works for clients such as Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Atlantic Monthly, New York Times, Washington Post, Texas Monthly and the New York City Opera.
Communication Arts (US), Creation (Japan), Graphika (Brazil), The Artist (US) and numerous newspapers have written articles on his work. He is included in several historical books on illustration; most recently, 50 Years of Illustration, published in 2014 by Laurence King Publishing, London, England. Tom has illustrated six books for children, Snail and Buffalo, The Bootmaker and the Elves, Comes a Wind, A Fine St. Patrick’s Day, Galileo’s Universe and Buckamoo Girls, selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 best children’s books for 2008.
Tom grew up in Coleman, Texas, a small town near Abilene. After graduating from North Texas University in 1969, he was drafted into the army and stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. As a soldier he travelled extensively in Europe before returning home to Texas. In 1975 he moved to Austin, where his career as an illustrator began. In 1993, he moved to Alpine, Texas to concentrate on personal paintings, sculptures and murals. He also produced editorial cartoons for the Big Bend Gazette, The Week, CNN and Politico.
