Tom started his working career as an apprentice engineer in the construction of locomotives and aircraft. At the age of twenty five he decided to realise his lifelong ambition to make art. He studied painting at Central School of Art and Design and after graduating he went on to study painting at the Slade School of Fine Art.
The Slade became a central part of his career development, as In 1982 he joined the staff there and continued as a part-time tutor until he retired in 2010.
During these years that he moved his aesthetic emphasis from the conventions of painting to those of sculpture. Working within this discipline he has completed a number of prestigious commissions, including: “Spirit of Enterprise” fountain in Birmingham’s Centenary Square. “Guardian Angels” consisting of five large bronze sculptures situated in Jubilee Square, Leeds General Infirmary Decorative laser cut steel window grills for Workington Town Centre redevelopment. “Image in text” computer generated mural for NHSS /LIFT Primary Health Care.
Whilst at the Slade, he was awarded a two year Henry Moore Scholarship in 2002, to initiate a research project into “sculpture through the keyboard”. From this he progressed towards 3D polychromatic printing using CAD/CAM software as a sculptural technique and medium. It is via this medium of 3D polychromatic printing that Tom has exhibited his work at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition several times and over the last ten years has been represented a number of group exhibitions and several solo exhibitions.
At present his artist output includes the disciplines of painting, 2D digital printing and 3D printed polychromatic sculptures, from his studio in South East London.