Home

Home is a portrait of Tom's friend Meseret. Their children played together and discussions fell as they often do to family, roots and home. What defines one's sense of it? Originally from Ethiopia, but now living in Australia we can understand that home for Meseret is more than a place. It is the young family growing up in the house they have built here, with study and work and friends. Yet it is also the family in the country of her birth, a world away, with its smells and tastes, its music and culture.

This painting sits Meseret looking out of frame to a light the viewer cannot see. Her gaze is somewhat faraway, perhaps with thoughts of another home, but the smile that plays gently across her lips is filled with the warmth of the here and now.

This oil painting is presented on stretched linen with the edges painted and D-rings fitted on the back for hanging.

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Born and raised in Adelaide Tom came to painting after a rich and eclectic tapestry of life experiences and now makes high fidelity works focused on asking questions.

With a background in health sciences as well as architecture and design Tom's paintings are deeply rooted in the notion of critical thinking and the forging of human identity. Concepts of community versus individuality permeate the work as well as complexity versus minimalism.

The use of realism in traditional oil paints gives pause to the rapid consumptive nature of the modern digital image. They ask the viewer to rest a while, observe and let the painting take one's thoughts where it will. The works do not regale with a bombastic answer but rather sequester time for a deeper question.

He has been a semi-finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2016, 2019 and again in 2022. He was the winner of the Kennedy Art Prize People's Choice Award 2021 and 2023. He was a Bluethumb Art Prize Finalist in 2022 as well as a Finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize 2022 at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.

Since 2013 Tom has been involved in the acclaimed pop-up fine art workshop school The Art Academy in Adelaide run by internationally renowned artist Robin Eley. Working first as a technical assistant and later as an instructor Tom has continued the never-ending journey of refining his craft and sharing that passion with others; for a lesson in painting is a lesson in thinking and continues to be to this day.