Tom Searles is a Portrait Painter based in London and the Cotswolds. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Illustration at the Anglia Ruskin University in 2012, Tom embarked on his freelance portraiture career, showcasing his fine art skills in galleries internationally. Parallel to this, Tom co-founded his own textile print company, comfortably straddling the visual disciplines of illustration and graphic design as Art Director and Creative Producer.
Inspired by the imaginative work of both his paternal grandfather and father, Tom began drawing from an early age, recreating imagery from his favourite classic comic books harnessing his own unique style.
For Tom, sports played an integral role in shaping his upbringing. From a young age, he immersed himself in the world of rugby and cricket, dedicating countless hours to training and honing his skills in both disciplines. His passion and talent were evident as he excelled in these sports, earning a place in the youth representative teams. Through the highs and lows of his sporting journey, Tom learned invaluable life lessons, making sport an inseparable part of his identity and character, reflected in his work.
Specialising in acrylic and charcoal, Tom now offers bespoke, custom portrait commissions capturing the subject’s characteristics in an abstract light and with intriguing detail. Heavily influenced by his background in sport, and using varied brushstrokes and tools, his powerfully cinematic, painterly works capture the continuous movement of any scene or subject.
Continually pushing his technique further, Tom draws upon the golden age of music and cinema with gentle influences of subdued, muted palettes to create his striking compositions.