Thomas Baillieul

Tom holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Earth Science from the University of Massachusetts, and has worked in such diverse areas as: mineral exploration around the world; preparing environmental impact studies for the U. S. Government; and leading the clean-up of retired nuclear facilities. His travels and time spent living in southern Africa were his introduction to different cultures and ways of thinking, and have moved him to social justice activism. In recent years he has become an award-winning visual artist, and have participated on the boards of the Ohio Art League, and the Clintonville Arts Guild. Currently, he lives in Columbus with his wife of 52 years and works part-time as the Exhibitions Coordinator for the Priscilla R Tyson Cultural Arts Center.

I have  entered the Art of Soul! Exhibition annually since 2019. My time living and traveling in Africa, along with studies in Cultural Anthropology and African History have given me a perspective on the African Diaspora and the struggles faced by the descendants of the slave trade. More recently, I have joined the Anti-Racism work of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus. While I cannot share the lived experiences of African Americans, I try to provide and outsider’s view of both the tribulations of the past and a hope for a more just future.

Nearly every work I create is narrative. I present a concept, a snapshot image, or a question - whether addressing issues of social or environmental justice, cosmic connections, travel, or the humor of the surreal. I like to challenge viewers’ perceptions of reality and try to get them to think deeply about who they are in relation to the world around them. Viewers are then encouraged to complete the story from their own experiences.

Ohio

United States