Art
Thomas Arvid
at the easel
ABOVE
Doctor’s Orders by
Thomas Arvid
RIGHT
You’re Two Kind by
Thomas Arvid
a foreman at a General Motors plant
- Arvid certainly wasn’t raised an
o no hi
th r
r no off
table books on great art, only the
constant blue-gray of steel and grit.
Yet as far back as he can remember,
he always knew he wanted to paint;
wherever there was a blank surface,
h
o
om
to
it ar y
in his career, he recognized that the
more successful artists had not only
talent and skill, but also a niche. He
embarked on what he refers to as his
“red period,” dedicated to painting
all things red: crushed Coke cans,
Radio Flyer wagons, Converse tennis
shoes. The reception was positive,
t not ro ta
n
nin a
he was painting a bottle of red wine,
a fan enthusiastically insisted on
purchasing the work even before
the paint was dry. After several more
such reactions to the subject of
wine, the artist realized he had
found his niche. Twenty years and
countless bottles and compositions
later, Arvid now owns his own
impressive cellar, “built with room to
ro into
ith inta
rom
around the world, including some of
his personal favorites: Harlan
tat
hra r
r amin a
an i r a
The artist wants to make a lasting
connection with those who enjoy
his work, to have someone walk by
one of his paintings and suddenly
discover something familiar in his
work, something precious and
intimate that has drawn the viewer.
In his view, the art of growing and
harvesting grapes is reminiscent of
a sunset, with each vintage’s end
ro i in a han to r
t on th
day’s labors and the prospect of
starting anew on the next adventure
waiting on the horizon. Having
dedicated years to the craft he
loves, he continues to be enthralled
by the promise of a new experience
each time he approaches his easel. “I
149