Tom is a self-taught watercolorist. What began as a sideline pursuit while he was a practicing psychotherapist it eventually became his full-time occupation in 1989. Beginning in that year and continuing for fifteen additional years, Tom was recruited to paint original art for a large credit card bank (MBNA America). It was his "job" (more like honor and privilege) to produce regular commissioned watercolor paintings to hang in bank offices around the world. When MBNA was eventually bought out by Bank of America, Tom continued to paint, but only for gallery shows and private commissions.

From around 2005, until today, Tom has diversified his time, energy, and focus between continuing to paint (regularly and passionately), being a part-time psychotherapist, and writing two, hopefully inspirational, self-help (and self-illustrated) books: Memo From Your Soul and Try Softer. Both books are non-fiction, largely autobiographical and quite detailed, about Tom's journey to become an artist.

At age 79, a proud grandfather of four, Tom still enjoys good health, spending quality time with his family, being a professional Life Coach, painting (including occasional book cover designing for The William Gladden Foundation), and generally trying to maintain a healthy, balanced, centered, and authentic life. I guess you could say: trying softer.