John
This painting of John was commissioned by his daughter to commemorate his life shortly after he passed away.
John, who I had the fortune to know personally, was a very erudite, sharp character, and had been CEO of a major national grocer.
Although he was also a kind, gentle individual, he was permanently alert and gave his full attention to whatever he set his mind to.
Despite the great success he had achieved, he was not flamboyant in the least and instead enjoyed more intellectual pursuits.
The piece we decided upon sought to express this in multiple respects. I chose a minimalist colour palette and low contrast to convey his straightforward and down-to-earth character.
We then chose a characteristic scene, John peering over his glasses with a thoughtful expression and a slight frown of concentration upon his brow, to ensure the piece honoured his brilliant mind.
"Tom has captured my father's mood and character just as he was - cheeky, sharp and gentle. I feel as if he were in the room with us."