Botanical Art: Larger Than Life
By Joanna Reed
"His work is wonderful: original, accurate and vital. The stark white background interspaces contribute to the overall composition on a par with the flowers and leaf forms so meticulously painted; minute details remain minute and convincing in the eyes of the beholder, despite the greatly magnified scale of the work."
"Amazingly, these murals are totally portable, moveable, uniquely practical for today's frequently nomadic lifestyle. The paintings will be on masonite, not a square or rectangle similar to a canvas, but a series of pieces cut into flower and leaf forms, then painted to give depth, life and movement."
Upon completion the parts are assembled as they are hung on the wall. Each section fits together as naturally as the plant itself grows. The slightly "bas relief" effect on the 1/8 inch thick masonite increases the liveliness of the finished piece."
"The spontaneous quality of these paintings belies the technical skill which produced them. A firm grounding in Art, draftmanship, perspective, color harmony, and manual dexterity with saws and files as well as a paintbrush were requisites Tom had acquired over the years as an artist. His realization that nature is a supreme and subtle designer, led him to grow and intensely study the plants and flowers he enjoys painting. The painted plants gained veracity and validity as his familiarity with Botany developed. The endless number of plants from which to choose, with their variations in detail and form, will surely keep Tom Steigerwald fascinated and painting for years to come."
GREEN SCENE MAGAZINE
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Magazine
September/October 1990