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Tom Mead, (b.1997) is a figurative Artist, living in London. 

Mead’s work is an ongoing exploration of existentialism and saudade through the lens of working class adulthood. Visuals and ideology from childhood find themselves juxtaposed with a truer life, where a naïvely built clay figure can live alongside the manifested dread of unaffordable housing. This marriage of influences creates uncanny imagery that leaves the viewer with a warped, melancholy sense of nostalgia; the feeling of time slipping by and control being lost, a reminder of innocence and the nauseating feeling that comes with acknowledging its loss or corruption.

The process Mead has developed harkens back to a childhood obsession with miniatures, stop motion and cardboard construction. Crude sets are created, with printed cut outs of figures and objects. These scenes are then painted to blur the distinction between scale, flatness, realism and space.

This interplay between two and three dimensional work is also seen in Mead’s larger portfolio, which similarly compels a reconsideration in how the viewer engages and interprets the artwork.

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Exhibitions

Green & Stone Summer Exhibition   Gallery Green & Stone   30th July - 30th August 2024

Behind The Artist Collector's Event   Woodend Gallery  18th May 2024

Semi-Conscious   Islington Art Factory   17 - 24th November 2023

Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize 2023   Atkinson Museum   September - December 2023

DISASSOCIATE   The Art Space, Cass Art Islington   9th - 19th October 2023

London Graphic Centre Art Prize   LGC Covent Garden   September 2023

Thames Chase Art Exhibition   1st - 10th September 2023

New English Art Club   Mall Galleries   22nd June - 1st July 2023

Jackson's Painting Prize 2023   Online Exhibition

'REFLECTIONS'   Blanco Gallery, Islington Art Factory   18 - 25 November 2022

Daniel Lismore    Herbert Art Gallery and Musuem   June - August 2022

A Material World   Liliya Gallery   24 March - 19 April 19 2022

Portrait Artist of the Year   Compton Verney   19 February - 5 June 2022

TAKING SHAPE   Espacio Gallery   July - August 2021

Art of London Augmented Gallery Trail   Position 21 The Wolseley   July - September 2021

SkyArts Lockdown Portraits   July 2021

Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize 2021   Coventry Cathedral   May - June 2021

QUOTIDIAN   Blanco Gallery   5th March - 1st April 2021

ING Discerning Eye   Mall Galleries (online)   2020

Clyde & Co Art Award 2019/20

Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize 2019   Piano Nobile Gallery   24th May - October

'Ideas and Imagination'   Thames Chase   August 2019

Degree Show   Wimbledon College of Arts   14th - 22nd June

'Portrait Artist of the Year 2019 Tour'   April - June 2019

Dover Street, Whitewall Nottingham, Newbury, Stratford, Chester, Lichfield.

'Portrait Artist of the Year 2019'   Clarendon, Mayfair   April 2019

'For Love or Money'   Copeland Gallery   March 2019

'Interpretations'   Thames Chase   August 2018

'Faces & Places'   5th Base Gallery   February 2018

Thames Chase   August 2016

Thames Chase   September 2015

Interview, Videos and Publications

Behind the Artist Podcast

'The Portraitists' Podcast, episode 17

Studio visit with Blanco Gallery

London Graphic Centre

The Art Teacher

Behind the Artist

Art of London Augmented Reality Gallery Trail

SkyArts Lockdown Portraits

TresA Magazine (2)

Portraits for NHS Heroes Book

Artit Magazine issue 11, Figurative and Portraiture

Portrait Artist of the Week with Professor Green

TresA Magazine

Cass Art, the Heats

Cass Art, the Semi Final and Final

Other

Invited to be a member of the Contemporary British Portrait Painters   7th July 2024

London Graphic Centre Prize 2024 Judge

Artists in Residence STAHS October/November 2023

Special guest and Speaker at Thames Chase Art Exhibition 2023

Bid The Gap Auction 2023

Woking Art Society 2022 Judge, exhibition held at The Lightbox

Curator for the exhibition, TAKING SHAPE at Espacio Gallery 2021

Teaching

Drawing and Painting Tutor at Hackney Fine Arts   August 2023 - present

Art Tutor for The Seasons Art Class, Upminster   September 2023 - present

Drawing and Painting Tutor at Sunny Art Centre   June 2022 - February 2023

Private tutoring   August 2022 - present

Portrait Drawing Workshop with Curtis Holder at The National Theatre   April 2023

Education

UAL Wimbledon

BA Fine Art: Painting

2016 - 2019

Havering College of Further and Higher Education

Fine Art Level 3 BTEC Diploma

2015 – 2016

Contemporary British Portrait Painters Member
Herbert Smith
Freeholds Longlist 2024
London Graphics Centre First Prize 2023
Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize Shortlist 2023
New English Art Club 2023
Jackson's Art Prize Longlist 2023
John Dalton Art Prize Finalist 2022
Art of London AR gallery Trail 2021
Sky Lockdown Portraits 2021
Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize  Shortlist 2021
ING Discerning Eye 2020
Portrait Artist of the Week (14/06/20)
BP Longlist 2020
Clyde&Co Art Award 2019
Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize 2019
Finalist, Portrait Artist of the Year 2019

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