Painting tomorrow s memories today"... that s how Tom Sierak likes to describe his pastel paintings. He says, "People often talk about the good ol days and how nice it would be to return to them. I believe that the times we live in and have lived in, are always the 'good ol days. Although people, places, and things may change around us, the bonds that exist between children, parents, grandparents, and close friends never do. I enjoy painting those seemingly uneventful daily occurrences of warmth and emotion that make up the whole fabric of our lives. Like the artists before me, I imagine my late 20th century and early 21st century portraits of everyday life in today's America will some day provide future viewers of my work a window into their past." The New Englander s medium of choice is pastels. He feels that they re just starting to receive widespread recognition. Tom says, "I favor pastels because I m able to draw and color simultaneously, and I love to draw. It s a great combination for me." Pastels are made from the same pigments used for oil paints. A binding agent is added to create a chalk-like stick, which is applied to a textured surface, usually paper. Available in many vibrant colors, pastels maintain their just-painted look indefinitely, unlike oils, which can crack and darken over time. "It s an unfamiliar medium to many people, and I d like to do my part to help change that," says Sierak. A Graduate of the Vesper George School in Boston, Tom s work is published worldwide as wall prints, greeting cards, puzzles, cross stitch kits, note cards, & collector plates, to name a few.
