About Tom Curry
Tom Curry was born and raised in Coleman, Texas, a small town near Abilene. After graduating from North Texas University in 1969, Tom was drafted into the Army and stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. As a soldier, he traveled extensively in Europe, before returning home to Texas.
In 1975, Tom moved to Austin from Dallas, where his career as an illustrator began. Since then, Tom has produced many illustrations and won major awards working for clients such as Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Texas Monthly, and The New York City Opera.
Tom Curry and his wife Susan moved from Austin to Alpine in 1993. The remote and unspoiled beauty of the area, the slower pace and the amazing sunsets all factored into their decision.
In his free time Tom likes to play guitar and sing with many like-minded musicians from the neighborhood. You might find them at the American Legion on Wednesday nights and Alpine's Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. And sometimes the Curry's spend their time at their cabin in the desert wilderness near Terlingua.
Tom and Susan work out of their papercrete studio and gallery in the historic Murphy Street section of Alpine, always accompanied by their good dog Hank.
In 1975, Tom moved to Austin from Dallas, where his career as an illustrator began. Since then, Tom has produced many illustrations and won major awards working for clients such as Time, Newsweek, Mother Jones, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Texas Monthly, and The New York City Opera.
Tom Curry and his wife Susan moved from Austin to Alpine in 1993. The remote and unspoiled beauty of the area, the slower pace and the amazing sunsets all factored into their decision.
In his free time Tom likes to play guitar and sing with many like-minded musicians from the neighborhood. You might find them at the American Legion on Wednesday nights and Alpine's Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. And sometimes the Curry's spend their time at their cabin in the desert wilderness near Terlingua.
Tom and Susan work out of their papercrete studio and gallery in the historic Murphy Street section of Alpine, always accompanied by their good dog Hank.
Below is an article written about Tom by Jane Palacek for CREATION International Graphic Design and Illustration - Number 12 in 1992, which describes Tom's work elegantly.
Tom Curry by Jane Palacek
Tom Curry draws secrets. In an age when most illustrations grab the viewer aggressively with rage, angst, sweetness, cuteness, sadness--any kind of drama--Curry’s figures are introverted and still: silent cryptic, enigmatic and inscrutable.
Cows gather around a circle of green grass in a hardscrabble abstract prairie. A man in a red suit has a face like a giant cactus branch, all green and sprouting purple thorns. The green eyes squint straight at you and the attenuated features display almost no expression. Even the smoke from the purple cigarette is unforthcoming- -it sticks close to the ash in a tiny purple puff. What does it all mean?
Curry’s art serves the commercial purpose of annual reports and magazines. But, beneath the surface lies an intensely personal vision of gentle weirdness and offbeat humor. “I have the theory that there is a solution to each assignment,” Curry says. “It’s just a matter of uncovering it.”
Curry spent four years as a designer before launching his freelance illustrator career in 1977. His first commissions were all in his home state, Texas, bur soon his success spread nationwide. His reputation is based on a home-grown style. “I studied advertising art in college,” he says, “and never really had any formal instruction. It’s all been trial and error. I saw painters and wondered how they did it, and just started experimenting on canvas, using a brush.” His experimentation produced a rigorously classic technique. Curry lays down dark colors and works up to the brighter ones and the highlights. He doesn’t use glazes and keeps the colors pure. “Color is always about the biggest problem” he says. “Sometimes I agonize over it-- what colors to use. I don’t have a theory. I just do what works. I change things a lot as I go along, too.”
Over the years, Curry’s work has evolved, purposefully. He has become more painterly, his sense of composition, already strong, has been fine-tuned and his colors have become richer, more saturated.
Curry’s style had its genesis when he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. “I saw a lot of the work of Heinz Edelman and other German illustrators and was influenced by poster art and kiosk art. The distortion of the figures appealed to me, and I was into the Pushpin style. I was also influenced by Magritte.”
Trying to pursue his personal vision in a commercial world is not always easy. “Maybe 20 percent of what I do I’m happy with,” he says. “The rest is a kind of compromise. It solves the client’s problem. But, it doesn’t always go as far as I’d like to carry it. Still, “ he says, “there’s a satisfaction. Artists are sort of a safety valve in today’s mesmerizing electronic age of mass communication. They show people what the world we live in is really like. Sometimes it can be a little shocking.”
Shocking. Distorted. Amusing. Delightful. Curry’s illustrations are all of that and more. It is the mark of the success of Curry’s personal vision and individual style. The more enigmatic his drawings become, the more expressive they are. His secrets speak words.
Creation
International Graphic Design, Art and Illustration---Number 12. Page 118
Recruit CO., LTD. 1992.
Tom Curry by Jane Palacek
Tom Curry draws secrets. In an age when most illustrations grab the viewer aggressively with rage, angst, sweetness, cuteness, sadness--any kind of drama--Curry’s figures are introverted and still: silent cryptic, enigmatic and inscrutable.
Cows gather around a circle of green grass in a hardscrabble abstract prairie. A man in a red suit has a face like a giant cactus branch, all green and sprouting purple thorns. The green eyes squint straight at you and the attenuated features display almost no expression. Even the smoke from the purple cigarette is unforthcoming- -it sticks close to the ash in a tiny purple puff. What does it all mean?
Curry’s art serves the commercial purpose of annual reports and magazines. But, beneath the surface lies an intensely personal vision of gentle weirdness and offbeat humor. “I have the theory that there is a solution to each assignment,” Curry says. “It’s just a matter of uncovering it.”
Curry spent four years as a designer before launching his freelance illustrator career in 1977. His first commissions were all in his home state, Texas, bur soon his success spread nationwide. His reputation is based on a home-grown style. “I studied advertising art in college,” he says, “and never really had any formal instruction. It’s all been trial and error. I saw painters and wondered how they did it, and just started experimenting on canvas, using a brush.” His experimentation produced a rigorously classic technique. Curry lays down dark colors and works up to the brighter ones and the highlights. He doesn’t use glazes and keeps the colors pure. “Color is always about the biggest problem” he says. “Sometimes I agonize over it-- what colors to use. I don’t have a theory. I just do what works. I change things a lot as I go along, too.”
Over the years, Curry’s work has evolved, purposefully. He has become more painterly, his sense of composition, already strong, has been fine-tuned and his colors have become richer, more saturated.
Curry’s style had its genesis when he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. “I saw a lot of the work of Heinz Edelman and other German illustrators and was influenced by poster art and kiosk art. The distortion of the figures appealed to me, and I was into the Pushpin style. I was also influenced by Magritte.”
Trying to pursue his personal vision in a commercial world is not always easy. “Maybe 20 percent of what I do I’m happy with,” he says. “The rest is a kind of compromise. It solves the client’s problem. But, it doesn’t always go as far as I’d like to carry it. Still, “ he says, “there’s a satisfaction. Artists are sort of a safety valve in today’s mesmerizing electronic age of mass communication. They show people what the world we live in is really like. Sometimes it can be a little shocking.”
Shocking. Distorted. Amusing. Delightful. Curry’s illustrations are all of that and more. It is the mark of the success of Curry’s personal vision and individual style. The more enigmatic his drawings become, the more expressive they are. His secrets speak words.
Creation
International Graphic Design, Art and Illustration---Number 12. Page 118
Recruit CO., LTD. 1992.
