“Reflections” by Tom Slack is City Hall’s first exhibit
By Beth Taylor
The first City Hall art installment by acclaimed Indiana artist Tom Slack was celebrated at a public reception on Jan. 9. The “Reflections” exhibit features 45 of Slack’s oils on canvas, which highlight his eye for detail.
Slack submitted art work in July of last year to meet the call out deadline by the Fishers Arts Council. “I kind of forgot about it, so I was greatly surprised when I heard from them,” said Slack.
Slack’s success as an artist almost didn’t happen. He had always wanted to pursue art, but was persuaded by his parents to focus on a career at which he could make a living. The father of seven children, Slack built an expected 9-to-5 career in sales while living in Utah. One afternoon, while in between sales calls, Slack went for a drive, meandering up a mountain road. Going farther than he intended, he became stuck in a deep snowdrift. Hours later, feeling cold and scared, he feared he would die in his car. Despondent, Slack’s deep regret over never having pursued what he truly wanted to do in life—create art—overwhelmed him.
After spending the frigid night in his Toyota Corolla, Slack knew that he needed to get out of his car. Struggling through the snow and ice, he fell on his back. He next remembers being back at home—someone found him and helped him get back home to his family. He had several injuries and needed time to recover.
As soon as he was well enough, he quit his sales job. “My wife’s reaction was very encouraging and supportive. She said, ‘finally, it’s about time’,” said Slack.
In 1995, 44-year-old Slack enrolled in art classes at Salt Lake City Community College and took a night job to make ends meet. He continued his art education at the University of Utah, and in 1998, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine art and drawing.
When two of their six daughters received college swimming scholarships in Indiana and stayed after graduating, Slack and his wife, Norene, relocated to be closer to their grandchildren. She is his business manager and helps him decide what to paint. “When I ask her what to do, her suggestions are always just right,” said Slack.
Slack has five easels; some days he paints for nineteen hours, other days he paints for two. “When I feel inspired to do it, that’s when I do it. I work on four or five paintings at a time, so I work one until I get burned out on it,” he said.
His ideas come from everyday life, such as seeing the beauty in the reflections of a car’s tail light on a rainy night. “A lot of times, inspiration comes from things that most people wouldn’t notice,” he said. People and places are often the subject of his paintings. “I love to travel. I love all of Britain, Sweden, Germany and France. I’ve painted Venice scenes four times.”
One of his favorite paintings, “On Grandma’s patio,” depicts his young children and their cousins enjoying lunch around an outdoor table. “The moment was completely unstaged and natural. It inspired me, so I painted it,” he said.
As a father, Slack encouraged his children to follow their dreams. “I told my kids that they could do anything they wanted. I encouraged them to go for the opportunities that made them excited,” he said.
About “Reflections”
“The shiny reflections in wet roads, sunlight through flower petals, the highlighted colors that are more easily seen, and the halo on an edge of a silhouette are all examples of “glow.” Rather than concentrate on the actual objects, I create a feeling or atmosphere and then work the representation of the items in afterwards. I have attempted to portray this “glow” in my paintings.”
The exhibit at City Hall will be available through Feb. 19. For more information on Slack’s work, go to www.tomslack.com
About Artist Tom Slack
Age: 63
Resides: Greenwood, Ind. for 16 years
Family: Wife, Norene; 7 children; 22 grandchildren
Hobbies: Traveling; canoeing on Cape Cod
Quote: Think of what really appeals to you. You only have one life. You should just as well live your dreams. People all the time tell me they wish they could do what I did.
