Meadowlark Gallery: The Artist Biographies


Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe was born on August 3, 1953. He spent a good deal of his youth growing up around Montana and over into Spokane, Washington. Tom graduated from the University of Western Washington in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Art. For a few years he moved to Alaska. By 1984, Tom found himself in the Jackson Hole, Wyoming area where he worked as a wrangler for hunting camps in the fall of each year. Later he moved to the Absarokee, Montana area where he worked as an outfitter.

One of his painting mentors was Hall Diteman of Billings, Montana.

"It didn't really register that Hall was gone until the other day I hit a snag. I couldn't make something look right and it dawned on me that he wouldn't be there to help. It was sad to think that I had received my last critique from the Master. It's getting better now though. I still find myself asking him what to do and so far he hasn't let me down. Why, just yesterday I was sitting down to the easel. I had brushes in my hand and a painting well along but was distracted. I never have been very keen on funerals but I knew I wanted to say something at this memorial today. I thought for a moment about how I wasn't sure about what to say there any more than I knew where to start fixing the painting. I surprised myself when I asked out loud 'Okay, Hall, now what am I supposed to do?' As quick as a wink and as sure as the sun on the mountains I heard the painter reply 'Clean your palette. How do you expect to accomplish anything working with a mess like that ...?' Of course, he was right. And, of course I did. Thank you, Maestro."

Quote from the eulogy given by Tom on March 9, 2009.

View high resolution images of works by Tom Wolfe when available.