Attention: You are using an outdated browser, device or you do not have the latest version of JavaScript downloaded and so this website may not work as expected. Please download the latest software or switch device to avoid further issues.
| 26 Jun 2026 | |
| General |
Tommy was creative from an early age. In high school, he pursued mechanical drawing, followed by architectural courses at junior college, and later studied restaurant management, where he expressed his artistry through the visual presentation of food.
In March of 1985, at the age of 24, Tommy’s life changed forever when a mountain bike accident left him quadriplegic. After 19 days in intensive care and six months of rehabilitation, he faced the daunting challenge of redefining his independence and his creative voice. Though spinal cord injury groups encouraged him to paint, traditional methods felt too confining.
Everything changed when Tommy received his first service dog, a yellow Labrador named Weaver, who helped restore his independence and confidence. To honor their bond, Tommy envisioned rolling his wheelchair through paint and having Weaver walk through it alongside him.
In late 1999, that vision became reality as Tommy created his first paintings using the tires of his wheelchair and Weaver’s paw prints. What began as a deeply personal act soon became a powerful and original artistic process.
Tommy embraced the freedom of movement his chair provided, creating large-scale abstract impressionist works using his wheelchair tires instead of brushes. As he describes it, painting is “like dancing and is probably the time I feel the most freedom in my chair.”
In 2005, Tommy debuted his work in his first solo gallery show. Since then, his art has been shown and collected internationally. He regularly donates his art and proceeds to charitable causes, and his life stands as a testament to perseverance, imagination, and the transformative power of art.
