By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the second of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by American painter 

Tom Christopher (Born 1952 in Waterloo, Iowa). 

Tom Christopher began drawing at an early age. He enjoyed copying cartoon characters from his Mickey Mouse and Road Runner comic books. After entering High School, he was able to begin painting with oil and acrylics. At this time he began his journey into landscape art. Christopher continues to draw inspiration from the rugged scenery along the Iowa River in Eldora, Iowa, where he currently resides. 

 

In his early years Christopher tried many different mediums but wasn’t satisfied with the results. It wasn’t until he enrolled in a Marc Hanson workshop and Marc suggested he try pastels. That was the beginning of his journey in pastel painting.. Enrolling in further workshops and mentoring programs with Albert Handell reinforced his appreciation for the medium.

 

Today Christopher continues to paint out of his home studio in Eldora. IA. His house is nestled in a 3-acre wooded area on a bluff overlooking the Iowa River. Christopher’s subject matter continues to be in close proximity to his home. This rugged landscape provides most of the inspiration for his painting subject matter. Many times he chooses simple and ordinary scenes in an effort to present them in a more interesting and colorful way. In his workshops Christopher teaches his techniques for pastel textured underpainting, he developed. 

This technique has earned him several national and international awards including Best of Show at the International Society of Pastels Societies ( IAPS) in Alberquerque, NM in 2015.

 

Christopher has facilitated workshops throughout the continental USA for the past 10 years, including the annual Plein Air Convention sponsored through Plein Air Magazine and IAPS biannual Convention. He has been the subject of feature articles in Plein air Magazine and The Pastel Journal. Christopher’s pastels can be viewed online through his Website and Facebook page as well as galleries in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Galena, Illinois and Dubuque, Iowa.

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Tom Christopher is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA) and Master Circle, International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS).

 

Selected Awards
 

- 2017  Awarded Master Circle medal - IAPS convention

- 2017  Albert Handell Award  - International Association Of Pastel Societies  IAPS International exhibition.

- 2015  Pastelist Award  - Pastel Society of America 

- 2015  Best of Show -  IAPS  "International Association of Pastel Societies" exhibition, Albuquerque, NM

- 2014  Terry Ludwig Award - Pastel Society of the West Coast Annual Exhibition 

- 2014  Feature Article - Plein Air Magazine

- 2014  Merit Award - Great Lakes Pastel Society National Exhibition

- 2014  Honorable Mention - Pastel Journal  "Top 100 Paintings" 

- 2013  Honorable Mention - Pastel Journal  "Top 100 Paintings"

- 2013  Purchase Award - Pastel Society Society of New Mexico National Exhibition

- 2012  Honorable Mention - Pastel Journal "Top 100 Paintings"

- 2011  Feature Article in the Pastel Journal "Rural Values." 

- 2010 First Place - Arkansas  Pastel  Society National  Exhibition    

- 2008 4th Place - Pastel Journal "Top 100 Paintings"