Tom Hlas
About Me
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.
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 my 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.
My paintings are grounded in memories with an eye looking toward the future. The concept of home is very important to me: home as a place where I grew up, home as the many places I’ve lived since, home where I live now, home as a sense of belonging, home as hospitality and welcome to others. Being a rather gregarious person, my paintings often reflect my internal conversations which help balance and ground my exterior and interior personas.