Thomas Kerr

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"I’ve been painting most of my life and am primarily self-taught. From my earliest days there were always paints and an easel at the ready in our house. I am fortunate to live in the beautiful upstate New York, between the beautiful mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks. Here the rolling farmlands flow right into the famous Battenkill River. The valleys soft rolling hills are dotted with historic family farms, dairy cattle, sheep, and field upon field of corn, and having four distinct seasons gives me ever-changing vistas to work from. The beautiful landscapes and old barns of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains inspire me. I'm attracted by the touch of man's hand on the landscape. The barns and plowed fields and the angles they create in an otherwise soft and rolling landscape beckon me to record them. Sadly, many of the barns that I have painted over the years have disappeared from the landscape."

Having four distinct seasons gives me ever-changing vistas to work with. I'm attracted by the touch of man's hand on the landscape. The barns and plowed fields and the angles they create inspire me to record them. Sadly, many of the barns that I have painted over the years have collapsed and disappeared. Painting is my way of recording their existence.

I have been fortunate to have studied with Virginia McNeice, Douglas David, Joan Bohrer and Ann Larsen. They all have influenced my work.

I was born in Bremerhaven, Germany to an Air Force family and traveled around a bit as a young boy. My first experience with a brush was painting my parent’s new leather chair. Being dragged along with my sisters thru Nebraska, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Florida all through my childhood has informed my life and work.

Along the way there was always an easel and paints someplace in our home no matter where we lived. I’ve been painting most of my life. Though I am primarily self-taught, I have had the good fortune to always have been surrounded by good artists.

While living in NYC I worked in window display at Lord&Taylor. My next job was was with a very busy advertising art studio with lots of name brand clients. There I worked with many talented people and was introduced to the ins and outs of the advertising business.

Arriving in Washington County in 1980 I discovered that my NYC talents were not readily transferable so I became a waiter. Here I learned a great deal about the public and myself. Later, at Orvis in Manchester, VT., I learned about fly fishing, the beauty of nature, and being a menswear catalog merchant and designer - I stayed there for 25 years.

At Orvis, I watched the family business grow and it took me along with it. I was fortunate enough to travel the world sourcing fabrics and designs and overseeing product design and production.

After Orvis I consulted in San Francisco where I fell in love with Marin County and that soft but rugged look.

Today I volunteer in a food pantry, at our local Court House Community Center and during the school year I read one on one with Salem elementary school children. And I paint!