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Tom Perkinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana
in 1940. He began his formal education at age
twenety, attending John Herron Institute in
Indianapolis. From 1962 to 1964, he moved on
and attended Oklahoma Baptist University in
Shawnee, Oklahoma where he received his
Bachelor's degree. Tom earned his Master of Art
from the University of New Mexico in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was there that,
after graduation, Tom became an instructor of
art and taught for two years before becoming
a full-time artist, which he has been doing
ever since.
For Tom, painting is a journey into the unknown.
He never knows what the painting will look like
until it is complete. It is a process of searching,
finding, developing, selecting, and adding and
subtracting, and all the time striving to keep his
mind open for anything new to happen. "I call
this style of painting Visionary. It has its roots in
surrealism which I explored in the 1960's, 70's
and 80's. In these paintings, I investigate
Southwestern subject matter, including Native
American art, sand paintings, pottery,
weavings, Kachina figures, and the bright colors
and drama of Native American dances and
ceremonies. I simply start a painting with washes
of color and let it develop into what it becomes,
all the while participating in an intuitive mode,
allowing a "state of flow" to occur as I paint."
Tom says.
Tom sees his Visionary paintings as an exploration
of universal spirituality and an investigation into
the balance of nature. He strives to create the
personification of a spirit, or mythical being,
reflecting his fascination with the Native
American culture, whose beliefs and rituals
inspire and move him. The Native American
concept that everything is connected and is
significant in mysterious ways fascinates Tom,
and is a concept he is continually integrating
into his works. As Tom describes it, "I believe this
work is mainly about balance and harmony.
I usually allude to symmetry, but the imagery is
not absolutely symmetrical. I am concerned
with achieving a harmonious balance between
sharp edges, geometric forms, very loose organic
areas, and the central figure. I integrate
geometric shapes, mainly the circle and parts of
it, the triangle, along with pictographs, hands
arrows, spirals, and many other archetypal
symbols that humankind has used throughout
its cultural history."
Tom's paintings have a compelling sense of
drama. "I'd like the viewer to experience
something new within themselves as they
embark on a journey of discovery while
contemplating my paintings," Tom says, "In this
sense, the paintings will never grow old,
because there will always be new things to
discover in them."
Tom's art is part of many important private and
public collections, including Eiteljorg Museum of
Western Art, Indianapolis, IN, Museum of New
Mexico, Santa Fe, NM, President Gerald Ford,
Bob Hope, Nancy Sinatra and Charlton Heston.
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