Live Demo with Watercolors by WSI Signature Member Tom De Somer. Art Center & Art Association of Henry County, Shaffer Studio, 1501 Broad St., New Castle, IN 47362.
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.
FREE and Open to the Public, light refreshments.
Join Tom De Somer, WSI for a live painting demonstration. Tom has been teaching adult watercolor classes since 2014 both in Simi Valley, California and Fort Wayne, Indiana and is known for his encouraging and enthusiastic instructional style. If you are unable to attend, you may watch the demo through WSI's Livestream Video on WSI's YouTube Channel. A recording will be available. RSVP recommended but not required.
Biography Tom grew up on the south side of Chicago where he discovered a love for art. After graduating high school, he attended the American Academy of Art (Chicago) to study both commercial and fine art. The instruction he received moved him beyond simple amateur approaches and provided him with the tools to pursue a career as a commercial illustrator. It was at the Academy where he was highly influenced and inspired by Irving Shapiro, Robert Krajecki and Bill Parks as well as other talented art instructors. Shortly after completing the program, Tom was hired at Eaton & Iwen, an illustration studio located on Michigan Ave. and East Adams where he created hand illustrated storyboards for animated features and commercials as well as a variety of work for print ad campaigns. He worked alongside of art directors and marketing specialists providing high quality marker renderings and illustrations for several clients including Suave, Kraft Foods, Oldsmobile, Keebler, McDonalds, Quaker Oats and Kellogg's. Tom later left his career as an illustrator to study theology. He has since served in a variety of ministry leadership roles in New York, Chicago, Simi Valley, California and Fort Wayne, Indiana where he and his family now call home. Tom has presented live painting demonstrations onstage at major conferences and public events and has also offered classroom and workshop art instruction for adults, teens, and elementary students. He participates in juried exhibitions and has been the recipient of a number of local and regional awards for his work. Tom is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of Indiana (WSI) and an associate member of both the American Watercolor Society (AWS) and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA). He is also an active member in the Fort Wayne Artists Guild and the Indiana Plein Art Painters Association (IPAPA). Artist Statement My desire as a visual artist is to bring a skilled interpretation and personal impression of the world around me through my brush and palette. I strive to optimize the qualities of watercolor while simplifying the painting process. I know that each expressive mark must be made to count. A painting must first be planned out and the strength of the painting realized in each brushstroke. A mark made creates the symbol; symbols combine to create an image and, images composed with well-intentioned design will provide insight into the artist’s inspiration. I am convinced that art is a window into one’s soul and the creative outcomes I desire must reflect the wonder I have for the world and the joy it offers me as an artist. Watercolor was the medium of choice for fine art masters such as Wyeth, Homer, Sargent, Hopper, Pleissner, Whitney and Brandt. It was the late Irving Shapiro who first introduced me to the challenge and beauty of watercolor, and it was Tony Couch who showed me the way back after I cast my brush aside for twenty years. As a fine artist, I am committed to mastering my craft and live in a way that inspires others to do the same.
Learn more about The Art Association of Henry County Here: https://www.henrycountyarts.org/
