Biography

Tom Hlas is an abstract painter who works primarily in acrylics. His abstract work and often times conceptual titles allow the viewer to draw their own inspiration, meaning, and enjoyment from the work rather than be influenced by the artist's own underlying thoughts and feelings present when he created the work.

Born in 1954 near the small, rural town of Elberon, Iowa, where he grew up the eighth of ten siblings, Tom moved to the Washington, DC area to do postgraduate work and then later to Miami, Florida. He now resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tom studied drawing and painting with Ken Conley and Laura Conley at the Montgomery Community College in Rockville, Maryland, early in his career. His diverse educational experiences, from a Bachelor degree in Vocal Music and postgraduate studies in philosophy and theology to on-the-job training in the marketing, graphic design and art reproduction world, have all colored his artistic work. He finds a kinship and inspiration in the abstract expressionists, color field painters, and the print makers and minimalist artists of today.  In both 2009 and 2010, he was awarded a one-month artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT.

The combination of elements, drawn from his unique experience and psychology, unite within each painting to yield work that has the integrity of an original. Each individual piece can stand by itself. Yet when viewed in context of the body of work, the paintings point to an evolving artistic language that is interconnected and dynamic.

Tom in his studio during 2010 artist residency at Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

Photograph by Howard Romero

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Email: tom[at]tomhlas.com

Select Exhibitions and Awards

• “Award of Excellence in Contemporary Art”, 20th Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, Reston, VA, May, 2011
  “Fine Arts Show”, May, 2011, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
• “RSVP”, July, 2010, LGTripp Gallery (Philadelphia, PA)
• “75th Annual National Juried Show”, July, 2010,Cooperstown Art Association (Cooperstown, NY)
• “Invitational Salon of Small Works 2010”, June, 2010, New Art Program (Kutztown, PA)
• “Juried Fine Arts 2010 Exhibition” - Jan. 2010, Mills Pond House Gallery (St. James, NY)
• ”Kaleidoscope: A One-Person Show”, Edge Gallery (Philadelphia, PA)
• “18th National Juried Show, 2009”, Art Center of Northern New Jersey (New Milford, NJ)
• “Images 2009” Robeson Gallery, The State University of Pennsylvania (State College, PA)
• “Invitational Salon of Small Works 2009”, New Art Program (Kutztown, PA)
• "Fusions of Color", Edge Gallery, (Philadelphia, PA)
• “Invitational Salon of Small Works 2008”, New Art Program (Kutztown, PA)
• “Images 2008” Robeson Gallery, The State University of Pennsylvania (State College, PA)
• “Art of the State 2008” State Museum of Pennsylvania(Harrisburg, PA)
• “Art of the State 2007” State Museum of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg, PA)
• “Interrelated Conversations: A One-Person Show”, 2004, Diaspora Vibe Gallery (Miami, FL)
• Access Gallery, 2004 (Aruba)
• The Grande Gallery in the Gables (Coral Gables, FL)
• The Schacknow Museum of Fine Arts (Plantation, FL)

Receiving “Award of Excellence in Contemporary Art”, 20th Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, Reston, VA, May, 2011