Tom Flanagan’s paintings have been called, “jumpy, pointy, sly and deceitfully clever complex hard-edge abstractions that go deep into modernist logic.”
“I’ve always been interested in abstraction because it allows me to build a kind of logical mess that is unique to my sensibilities and experiences. It’s the organization of the ‘mess’ that fascinates me. It’s a kind of nod to what’s outside the studio and my reaction to it.”
With an emphasis on shape — both geometric and organic — combined with pure line mixed with saturated colors, middle tones and greys his work has been described as the physical representation of sound and movement.
“Ultimately,” Tom says, “I make the pictures I want to see.”
Ultimately, I make pictures I want to see.
- Tom Flanagan | Contemporary Abstract Artist
1991 MFA Painting, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
1988 BA Studio Art, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Exhibitions:
2018 Center for Maine Contemporary Art Biennial, Rockland, ME
2018 Frank Brockman Gallery, Brunswick, ME
2017 Yarmouth Historical Center, Yarmouth, ME
2017 Greenhut Gallery, Abstraction Invitational, Portland, ME
2016 Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, ME
2016 Susan Maasch Fine Art, Portland ME
2015 Susan Maasch Fine Art, Portland, ME
2014 Critics Choice, Harlow Gallery, Hallowell, ME
2013 George Marshall Store Gallery, York, ME
2012 Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2011 Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta GA
2010 Bill Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2009 Gibson Studio Gallery, Art Basil, Miami, FL
1996 The Gertrude Thomas Chapman Art Center, Cazenovia, NY, Solo Exhibit
1996 Kroma Gallery, Salem, Mass, Solo Exhibit
1995 University of South Maine Gallery, Portland, ME, Solo Exhibit
1995 Powers Music School Gallery, Belmont, Mass, Solo Exhibit
1995 Doshi Center for Contemporary Art, Harrisburg, PA
1995 Milton Gallery, Washington Art Association, Washington, CT
1994 Maine Coast Artist 16th Annual Juried Exhibition, Rockport, ME
1994 School of Art Gallery, Kent State University, Ashtabula, OH
1993 Heartwood School of Art, Faculty Exhibition, Kennebunk, ME
1993 Berkshire Art Association, Exhibition of Works on Paper, Pittsfield, Mass
1993 Catherine Smith Gallery, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
1993 Danforth Gallery, Portland, ME
1992 Morlan Gallery, Curated Exhibition of Hand Made Books, Lexington KY
1991 Siegfried Gallery, Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Athens, OH
1990 Siegfried Gallery, Graduate Drawing Exhibition, Athens, OH
1990 Why Not Etna Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1990 Carson Street Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1990 Greensburg Museum of Art, “Winterlude”, Greensburg, PA
1989 Siegfried Gallery, Graduate Drawing Exhibition, Athens, OH
1989 Carson Street Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1993-1996 Foundation Drawing/Painting, Heartwood School of Art, Kennebunk, ME
1994 Artist in Residence, Thornton Academy, Saco, ME
1989-1990 Two Dimensional Design/Drawing Instructor, Ohio University, Athens, OH
1989 Drawing/Painting Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA
1988-1989 Art Instructor, St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Pittsburgh, PA
Bryant University, Smithfield, Rhode Island
The List, Atlanta, Georgia
The Press Hotel, Portland Maine,
The St. Regis Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia
Integrity Asset Management, Rocky River, Ohio
Stan Topol & Associates, Atlanta, Georgia
EF Education First, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Boston Voyager Magazine, Boston Voyager Summer 2018, Check Out Tom Flanagan’s Artwork
Maine Arts Journal – UMVA Quarterly, State of the Studio, “Studio Practice – Tom Flanagan 2018,” Summer 2018
Anna Eleanor Jordan, “Preview: Tom Flanagan at Frank Brockman Gallery,” Art New England, January/February, 2018
Daniel Kany, “Tom Flanagan’s bold, abstract paintings well-suited to Brunswick space,” Portland Press Herald, February 18, 2018,
Daniel Kany, “Abstraction goes long at Greenhut Galleries,” Portland Press Herald, February 19, 2017
Sugarlift Blog, “Catching up with: Tom Flanagan,” Summer 2017
Erin Little, “Studio Tour: Painter Tom Flanagan,” Erin Little Photography, July 28, 2016
Daniel Kany, “A play at form and abstraction in Tom Flanagan’s paintings,” Portland Press Herald, July 12, 2015
Daniel Kany, “Geometrical abstraction at its brilliant best,” Portland Press Herald, August 19, 2012