Tom Oliver

Tom is an artist who lives in Seal Beach, California. He received his B.A. in Communications from Metropolitan State University, a Certificate in Film Writing from UCLA Extension, and an M.S. in Urban Planning from Cal Poly. His master's thesis was "The Elements of a Successful Artist Colony." Throughout his career he has written educational films, performed for a few years as a Stand-up Comedian, and worked as the Assistant for the President of Buena Vista Television. Tom recently won First Place in Young Adult Fiction from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Los Angeles. He currently works as a Planning Aide for the City of Los Alamitos, CA, and is a member of Long Beach Arts.

I’m drawn to architectural landscapes that represent fine examples of their eras.  These structures show a past in a world that craves new buildings without a past.  They are optimistic memories of electric skies and undulating perspective, in spite of the pessimistic world where they exist. 

 My paintings tell stories that showcase ideal aspects of a place and edit elements that do not serve the story.  If I produce an accurate painting, I have said nothing.  I paint toward the moment when I reach an emotional boundary and my narrative appears.  Vibrant colors create a fantasy with each space.