Born in Manhattan, Kansas, Tatom began his formal art training at the University of Utah from which he obtained a B.F.A. in 1972 on a full merit scholarship. From there, he studied at the Kansas City Art Institute from 1973 – 1976.
Kirk Tatom was one of the foremost carvers of stone in Santa Fe for nearly 20 years. Tatom’s success in sculpture was his unique ability to create unquestionably original abstract avian forms. In 1997 he put down the chisel and picked up the paint brush. And he’s again become successful. He’s noted for painting the lush green fields and farms of this country. Tatom gravitates towards the rural where he often finds animals: cows, horses and sheep. In the beginning he strongly identified what he thought of as a “useful” landscape, rich with agricultural resources.
Preparation of the panel requires just the right placing of texture exactly where it belongs. The surface may be sanded, scraped, polished, scored then washed, stained, and glazed, then comes the march of the elements of landscape; a boat, a vineyard, trees, animals. He often has as many as ten paintings in the works at one time. Unlike most painters he starts a group of paintings at one time and finishes them all at the same time.
Just as Tatom pays great attention to the craft of his landscape paintings, he heightens their impact with exquisitely hand carved, gold leafed frames built by his father and brother.
EXHIBITIONS
Exhibiting since 1973, Tatom has an extensive show history, which includes the Denise Roberge Gallery, Palm Deserts, California, Harmon Meek Gallery, Naples, Florida, Sardella Fine Art, Aspen, Colorado, Carol Henderson Gallery, Fort Worth, Texas and the Jan Rice Gallery in Denver, Colorado.
2008 The Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida
COLLECTIONS & COMMISSIONS
Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City, Utah.
City of Greenville, Greenville, Texas.
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas.
Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas.
First Union Bank of Nashville, Nashville, Tennesee.
Staats International, Boston, Massachusetts.
Cal-Surance Associates, Inc., Torrence California.
Bruce Lindstrom, IAIA, Denver, Colorado.
James Seitz, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Sam Ballen, La Fonda Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Arndt and Associates, Tempe, Arizona.
Baptist Medical Center of Oklahoma, Inc., Oklahoma City.
St. Vincents Hospital, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
George Michael, California/ London.
AWARDS
Artist in Residence, Sitka Center, Otis Oregon.
Founders Series Recipient, 1993.
PUBLICATIONS
Focus (2002,001,2000, 1995,1988)
SFE, Summer/Fall 1989
Palm Springs Life, Oct. 1988
Designers West Magazine, August 1987
SFE, Summer/Fall 1987
“Reflections of the Southwest” calendar, Baptist Medical
Center, Oklahoma City
EDUCATION
1973-76 Kansas City Art Institute
1972 B.F.A., University of Utah, full-merit scholarship
