Meet Tom Sarmo

Tom Sarmo was born in Denver, CO.  He’s been a professional artist and illustrator since 1986, illustrating books and other publications. His work has been represented by various galleries in the Rocky Mountain West and his richly detailed, illustrative paintings, and traditional landscapes are in many private collections.

Sarmo is a passionate believer in the benefits of owning original works of art. "Original artwork infuses the home environment with a special warmth and spirit that honors both the artist and the owner of the artwork. Prints can't do that, and usually you still have to frame 'em.  You can, more often than not, buy remarkable, original--already framed-art for the same price, and then you have something more than wallpaper gracing your life."

Sarmo’s artwork, illustrative, often bizarre, always thought-provoking, begins with his influences. They range from the classic book illustrators of the 19th century through mid-century advertisements to images in modern film. He owns a great library of books—many of them vintage and antique, which serve as both technical teachers and his gold mine for creative brainstorms.

He loves hunting for ideas, and collects anything that catches his eye, putting it in notebooks and boxes filled with images he’s gleaned from the internet, scanned from books and magazines, and photographed on “resource gathering” missions.

These in turn, are manipulated—tweaked, punched,and penciled-- into shape in any one of the many sketchbooks scattered throughout his studio. Sarmo most loves watercolor, acrylic, mixed media,  and clay in his finished works.

More of his work can be viewed at www.tomsarmo.com

Sarmo's Italian Santos and religious artworks are represented exclusively by Creator Mundi in Cherry Creek North, Denver, Colorado.  www.creatormundi.com

His blog, which explains his work and thought processes, can be viewed at http://www.tomsarmo.blogspot.com