Art by Tom Hlas
Artist's Statement for Tom Hlas
As an abstract artist, I work primarily in acrylics and mixed media collage.
I was born and raised near the small, rural town of Elberon, Iowa, where I grew up the eighth of ten children. I then moved to the Washington, DC area to do postgraduate work, then to Miami, Florida and later to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tiring of big city life, I moved to the small village of Norfolk, Connecticut, where I now live and work. My move to the country has had a big impact
on my work. While still being abstract, the rural landscape has crept into my paintings.
Art courses make up only a part of my formal education. I studied drawing and painting at the
Montgomery Community College in Rockville, Maryland, early in art career. My diverse
educational experiences also include a Bachelor degree in Vocal Music and postgraduate studies in philosophy and theology as well as on-the-job training in marketing and graphic design. These experiences have all colored my artistic work.
I describe my paintings as a geography of the heart and mind. In my art, I try to capture a sense of place, especially a space where one can go to be at home. At times my work is informed by childhood memories of growing up on a farm. At other times, my paintings are inspired by the colors and sights around me which may take the form of imagined landscapes.
The paper cutouts of Matisse, the abstract expressionists, the color field painters of yesteryear and the print makers of today are all sources of inspiration to me. In both 2009 and 2010, I was awarded a one month artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT.
Web site: www.tomhlas.com
Select a painting to view it up close, for its title and description. Scroll to read the artist's statement below.
Artist's Statement
As an abstract artist, I work primarily in acrylics and mixed media collage.
I was born and raised near the small, rural town of Elberon, Iowa, where I grew up the eighth of ten children. I then moved to the Washington, DC area to do postgraduate work, then to Miami, Florida and later to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tiring of big city life, I moved to the small village of Norfolk, Connecticut, where I now live and work. My move to the country has had a big impact on my work. While still being abstract, the rural landscape has crept into my paintings.
Art courses make up only a part of my formal education. I studied drawing and painting at the Montgomery Community College in Rockville, Maryland, early in art career. My diverse educational experiences also include a Bachelor degree in Vocal Music and postgraduate studies in philosophy and theology as well as on-the-job training in marketing and graphic design. These experiences have all colored my artistic work.
Photo courtesy of Mike Yamin © Mike Yamin
I describe my paintings as a geography of the heart and mind. In my art, I try to capture a sense of place, especially a space where one can go to be at home. At times my work is informed by childhood memories of growing up on a farm. At other times, my paintings are inspired by the colors and sights around me which may take the form of imagined landscapes.
The paper cutouts of Matisse, the abstract expressionists, the color field painters of yesteryear and the print makers of today are all sources of inspiration to me. In both 2009 and 2010, I was awarded a one month artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT.