Tom Cunningham
Tom Cunningham and his Art (1949 – 2022)
Born in Glasgow, Scotland. Lived in Galena, IL
We are beyond grateful for the gift of Tom Cunningham’s paintings to the Center. Never selling any of his paintings, Tom either donated or gifted his paintings. Supporting organizations, they believe in is important to Tom and his wife Susan. They hope proceeds from any sales of his artwork will benefit the Center.
Tom spent 40 years working as a regional/city planner and later as a lawyer even though he was a fine arts major with an emphasis on design in college. One painting from those early years that he kept is a huge, stylized painting of Peter Fonda and the motorcycle for the movie Easy Rider. During his professional career, he did not create any artwork. However, according to Susan he never forgot it either and in semi- retirement returned to his art and cultivated new interests. In 2020 Tom resumed painting at the age of 71. Susan said, “Tom believed, as I do, that we should try to incorporate what is important in life and explore our interests when the time is right.” He enjoyed the time he spent painting. Susan reflected that “particularly as his health declined, he found a personal refuge in painting…”
Although he preferred to make etchings during college and might have resumed that had he had all the needed equipment, his focus in later years was oil painting, mostly the landscapes of Jo Daviess County.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland. Lived in Galena, IL
We are beyond grateful for the gift of Tom Cunningham’s paintings to the Center. Never selling any of his paintings, Tom either donated or gifted his paintings. Supporting organizations, they believe in is important to Tom and his wife Susan. They hope proceeds from any sales of his artwork will benefit the Center.
Tom spent 40 years working as a regional/city planner and later as a lawyer even though he was a fine arts major with an emphasis on design in college. One painting from those early years that he kept is a huge, stylized painting of Peter Fonda and the motorcycle for the movie Easy Rider. During his professional career, he did not create any artwork. However, according to Susan he never forgot it either and in semi- retirement returned to his art and cultivated new interests. In 2020 Tom resumed painting at the age of 71. Susan said, “Tom believed, as I do, that we should try to incorporate what is important in life and explore our interests when the time is right.” He enjoyed the time he spent painting. Susan reflected that “particularly as his health declined, he found a personal refuge in painting…”
Although he preferred to make etchings during college and might have resumed that had he had all the needed equipment, his focus in later years was oil painting, mostly the landscapes of Jo Daviess County.
