Tom Edwards

Tom Edwards' exploration of the art of drawing and the creation of spatial volumes expresses his experience, memory, and reconstruction of his surroundings. The spaces created in these drawings are based on observation and memory. They are not intended to represent any single moment in time but rather to assimilate multiple moments and observations into an experience of a place. Most of these works were developed over long periods of time, with many changes and shifts of direction. He starts with a specific idea about a place but lets the drawing participate in the spatial development by constantly altering and balancing the two and three dimensional aspects of the drawing. Often, large areas of a drawing or print are removed and redrawn to create a completely new set of references. Edwards keeps the drawing as open ended as possible, to allow as many choices as possible. The resulting surface is one of many layers that establish the history and memory of the work. 

Tom thinks of his prints as a stage for the exploration of spatial development. The printmaking process allows for endless variations and changes while keeping a record of each set of changes. This process has influenced his thinking about his drawings and paintings, allowing him to integrate drawing and painting into a hybrid approach and language.

Edwards received a MFA from Yale University School of Fine Arts majoring in painting and printmaking. He was awarded the Elizabeth Canfield Hicks Honorary Award in Drawing. He received a MA from Kansas State University majoring in drawing and printmaking where he also received a bachelor of architecture degree. 

Tom's work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibits at Jane Haslem Gallery, Washington, DC, Prince Street Gallery, New York, NY, Denise Bibro Fine Art, Inc. New York, NY, New Haven Arts Council: Gallery 195, New Haven, CT, New Haven Lawn Club, New Haven, CT, Gallery @ 85 Main, Centerbrook, CT, Naestved Roennebaeksholm Art & Culture Center, Naestved, Denmark, Canton Gallery on the Green, Canton, CT, and Nahcotta Gallery, Portsmouth, NH just to mention a few. 

His work is in numerous collections such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, Library of Congress, Washington DC, National Museum of American Art, Washington DC, Smithsonian Collection, Washington DC, The New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT, Baltimore Museum, Baltimore, MD and The Boston Printmakers Permanent Collection, Boston, MA, again, just to name a few. 

Backyard Archeology
May 26 -June 26, 2022

Tom Edwards excavates his backyard of ideas and observations in “Backyard Archeology”.
For Edwards, “backyard” serves as a physical space to observe and draw from while also searching his distant memory for alternatives beyond drawings of his surroundings. “The development of each group of subjects formed when I considered a large generally organized format for the entire presentation of the different pieces,” states Edwards. His final setup includes twenty pieces arranged in three horizontal rows. This arrangement references an altar predella in its construct. The first group consists of black and white drawings in black pencil and ink, made directly from observation while sitting in different locations in my backyard. The second row contains four larger pieces that deal with the “archeological” dream. It expands the view of the backyard inward and outward from multiple points of view and disassociated visions. Finally, the upper row consists of eight nocturnal spaces that suggest an internalized escape from reality, presenting atmospheric spatial form and color associations.

Also included is a ¼ scale group called “1963”, developed as an extension of drawings that began in 1963-66 in a high school mechanical drawing class.