Artist Adventurer describes me best. I studied fine art at California State Long Beach and graduated with a BFA in drawing and painting with a minor in sculpture. I’ve always been drawn to exploring new places and living new experiences. I now live among the redwoods on the Sonoma Coast. The north coast of California offers a succession of majestic scenes —rugged coastlines, towering forests, rolling vineyards and endless and ever-changing sky-scapes and waterborne reflections. Inspired by the beauty of the sea and the ancient trees, I routinely set off on daily treks to find new views to study in plein air oils. Back at home in the studio, I use my oil studies along with photographic references of the sites to create larger finished oil paintings. 

I’m often asked when I first started drawing and painting and that brings me back to my early childhood memories. From my earliest days in school, I was recognized and encouraged for my ability to translate ideas and experiences into images. Growing up on the beaches of southern California, I learned to love the sea, to live in it, and to be inspired by it. And those two passions from childhood, creating art and being in the water, are what sustain my soul and what I hope to translate and share in my art. So depending on the weather, you can find me either roaming the coast with paints in hand or riding the energy of the sea. 

In addition to conventional oil paintings, I also work in wood and metals for both sculpture and functional art such as entry gates, doors, and furniture. I offer originals and commissioned pieces as well as project based works including murals. 

 Sincerely, Thomas Burgard