tblock
Artist Profile
Tom Block
About Me
- Favorite Medium: paintings
- Statement: I combine the visual and written arts to raise awareness of international human rights issues as well as concerns of world peace and intercultural understanding. I utilize the visual arts, writing projects and the inclusion of well-known speakers in his projects (such as human rights activist Wei Jingsheng). I use art to raise awareness of the similarities between seemingly dissimilar cultures and religions; highlight issues pertaining to human rights and the moral treatment of all peoples and raises funds for non-profit organizations working in these areas. My Human Rights Painting Project, for instance, donates 50% of all proceeds from sales of paintings to Amnesty International. I have shown my art in museums and galleries in New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Madrid, Spain, Lisbon and Oporto, Portugal and Venice and Florence, Italy, as well as many other cities and towns in the United States and Europe. In addition to appearing on National Public RadioÂ’s Talk of the Nation, I have conducted symposiums on my art and thought at the University of Maryland, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, George Washington University, American University, Vassar College and the Jewish Study Center. I have taught art at the Longview School for the Handicapped, Dwelling Place Homeless Program, Montgomery County Alternative Program for at-risk adolescents, National ChildrenÂ’s Center and the Summit Art Group.
- Bibliography: * WMFD TV (Mansfield, OH), Interview, Human Rights Painting Project, September 30, 2003 * Gazette Newspapers (MD), “Portraits of Pain,” Karen Schafer, July 30, 2003 * The Reader (Chicago, IL), “Human Rights Painting Project: Pick of the Week,” May 2, 2003 * The Detroiter (Detroit, MI), “Tom Block: Cousins,” Nick Sousanis, December 2002 * Metro Times (Detroit, MI), “Three Detroit Galleries Make a Commitment to Understanding,” George Tysh, November 27, 2002 * Detroit Jewish News (Detroit, MI), “A Shared Spiritual History: Painter Captures Shared Spiritual Paths,” Lori Weiss, October 4, 2002 * Sojourners Magazine (Washington D.C.), “Stirring the Imagination: Tom Block’s Human Rights Painting Project,” Roberto Rivera, July-August 2002 * National Public Radio “Talk of the Nation” (Washington DC), Interviewed by Neal Conan about the Human Rights Painting Project on the radio show heard in 150 cities, May 1, 2002 * Washington Times (Washington D.C.), “Human Rights Painting Project: Pick of the Week,” Joanna Shaw-Eagle, April 11, 2002 * Copley News Service (National), “Prisoners of Conscience,” Fyllis Hockman, April 7, 2002 * Gazette Newspapers (MD), “Silver Spring Artist puts Human Face on Suffering,” Chris Slattery, April 3, 2002 * Detroit Jewish News (Detroit, MI), “Spiritual Abstractions: The Paintings of Tom Block,” Suzanne Chessler, December 14, 2001 * La Nazione (Montecatini, Italy), “(Bath of Art at the Spa),” Faustina Tori, September 6, 2001 * Link 6 (Baltimore, MD), ""The Tales We Tell: The Work of Tom Block (etc.),” Elizabeth Donovan, Summer 2001. * WildHeart Journal (VA), ""Tom Block: Art & the Mystical Vision,"" Eliezer Sobel, Spring/Summer 2001 * Washington Times (Washington DC), ""An Artist's Enigmatic Friends,"" P. Butters, February 8, 1997. * ABC (Madrid, Spain), ""(Young Artists Group Show),"" Consuelo Perez, September 29, 1995. * Correio da Manha (Lisbon, Portugal), ""(Painting Live),"" Joao Alameda, December 4, 1994. * Hoy (Caceres, Spain), ""(The Purpose of Painting is to Reflect the Spiritual, the Ineffable),"" Juan Domingo Fernandez, November 17, 1993. * Extremadura (Caceres, Spain), ""(Time),"" Tom Block, October 30, 1993 * Hoy (Caceres, Spain), ""(In Modern Art, Technique is not as Important as it was during the Renaissance),"" Juan Domingo Fernandez, June 27, 1993 * Extremadura (Caceres, Spain), ""('My Painting Doesn't Have Answers, Just Questions That Transmit Emotions'),"" Almudena Villar, June 16, 1993 My writing – general features, art reviews and historical work – has appeared in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Boston Herald, San Diego Union, Washington Review, Sufi Magazine, Detroit Jewish News, L.A. Jewish Times, Dallas Morning News and Denver Post, among others. In addition to these projects, I am currently writing a book entitled Shalom/Salaam: The Untold Story of a Mystical Entanglement, detailing the little known influence of Sufi (Islamic mystical) influence on the development of Jewish spirituality.
Social
Contact
- Silver Spring,
Maryland
- United States
- thomasblock@gmail.com
- Phone: 202-329-5038
- Website
Professional
- Awards: 2003 Mid-Atlantic New Painting 2004, Ridderhof Martin Gallery, VA 2002 Takoma Park City Council, resolution in support of Human Rights Painting Project, MD 2002 Puffin Foundation Grant (for the Human Rights Painting Project), Teaneck, NJ 2001 Maryland Art Place CriticsÂ’ Residency, MD 1998 Montgomery County Art Association Collaborative Art Program Grant, MD 1997 Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County Outreach Program Grant, MD 1996 Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County Outreach Program Grant, MD 1995 Vows from a Stranger, illustrations for a poetry collection, Manchester, NH 1995 Fifth Annual Young Painters Competition, Sala El Brocense, Caceres, Spain
- Teaching Experience: 2003 George Washington University, Washington DC. Spoke about the arts and human rights. 2003 Ohio State University, Mansfield, OH. Spoke about the Human Rights Painting Project. 2002 Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY. Spoke to students and alumni at an event in Washington DC. about the Human Rights Painting Project. 2002 American University, Washington DC. Spoke about the Human Rights Painting Project 2001 Michigan State University, Kresge Museum, East Lansing, MI. Spoke on my artistic interpretation of the Baal Shem Tov. 2000-2001 Jewish Study Center, Washington DC Designed and taught a class on the similarities between the Jewish Hasidism and the Sufi masters of Islam. 2000 University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD. Spoke on Spanish art and culture. 1997-1998 National Children's Center, Washington, DC Designed and implemented art programs for mentally and emotionally challenged children. 1997 Dwelling Place Homeless Program, Gaithersburg, MD. Taught art workshops to homeless children. 1996-1997 Summit Art Group, Gaithersburg, MD. Taught adult drawing classes. 1995-1997 Longview School for the Handicapped, Gaithersburg, MD. Designed and implemented an art program for severely handicapped children. 1995-1997 Montgomery County Alternative Program, Gaithersburg, MD. Designed and implemented an art program for at-risk adolescents.
Education
- Degree: B.A. in English
- Institution: Vassar College
- Grad Year: 1987
Artwork by this artist
 Maryland art
oil 40 x 30 |
 Maryland art
mixed media 48 x 48 |
 Maryland art
mixed media 50 x 80 |
 Maryland art
oil 36 x 24 |
