Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Sibley.
Tom, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always drawn since I was kid. One Christmas, I did a drawing of Batman that I was particularly proud of that got thrown out with some wrapping paper. I searched through the garbage for an hour just to find it. When I finally found it, I was kinda bummed because it wasn’t as good as I thought it was. Expectations can get pretty high when you’re digging through garbage.
My mother and great grandfather were painters. Shortly after getting sober over five years ago, I was finding a real need to express myself so I started drawing more and then painting. When I started painting, it was like a fish to water. I felt connected to something much bigger than myself. I was scared to share them with anyone because I did them in earnest. It’s hard to show someone a painting and if they don’t like it, tell them you were only kidding.
When I first started sharing them, I was sick to my stomach about it. But they were well received and then I started selling some of them which was beyond all expectations. So I just paint constantly. I’ve been asked to do a couple of group shows but they were in different parts of the world and I couldn’t afford the shipping at the time. I have a group show coming up in August that’s in Los Angeles at Gabba Gallery. Which I am excited about because I can drive my painting to it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I was broke, scared, and driving for Lyft at the end of last year. That’s actually how I got referred to Voyage because I picked up LA-based artist Missy Reitner-Cameron. We started chatting and she told me she was a painter as well. I asked her what she thought of painting over old canvases. We started following each other on Instagram and her work is incredible.
Shortly after that through some mutual friends, LA artist and painter Joey Feldman told my fiancee he needed an assistant and asked her if I’d be interested. She called me while I was driving for Lyft and was like, “CALL JOEY, NOW!” I never pulled into a Ralph’s parking lot so fast.
I started working for him and he’s become my mentor. Taught me so much not just about art but life in general. How to be a proper gentleman. I now have my own studio down the hall from his which makes balancing painting and being his assistant very manageable. His studio is huge though and I am pretty sure mine used to be a closet.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a painter. My work tends to be figurative. Lately, I’ve been painting the people and faces I encounter in my day to day. Whether it be loved ones or a face in a newspaper. I suppose I’m proud to be making something that’s at least meaningful to me and then putting it out into the universe. Contributing to the grand song of humanity in my own little way. I often feel very selfish like I’m just taking all the time and I like to think the art helps with that.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I like the direction things are going in so I wouldn’t do much differently. Although, I just did a run of prints that sold out but I forgot to include shipping in the little online store so I’ll be taking a bath on that. So maybe, I’d go back to yesterday and make sure to include shipping.
Contact Info:
- Website: tomsibleyart.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomsibleyart/
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