Tom Simpson grew up in the Waitaki Valley, in southern New Zealand. During his childhood, Tom’s drawing pursuits developed into a visual exploration of the local landscape, and his personal connection to it. The prevailing sense of awe that typifies a child’s experience of the world has remained one of the driving forces in his work. For Tom, viewing and making art is a means of shaking off the dust of the mundane, so that the world can be seen with fresh eyes and our sense of affinity with it can be restored. 

Tom completed a Bachelor of Design with honours in 2005 at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts in Wellington. Following this, he honed his artistic skills while working as a freelance illustrator in the design, publishing and entertainment industries. 

In 2015, Tom left New Zealand to travel and work in South East Asia. Since returning in 2017, Tom has focused on developing his fine arts practice by reconnecting with the landscapes that inspired him in his early years. His current work represents a personal and artistic homecoming, and an exploration of the possibilities of working in oils. 

Tom is currently living in Arrowtown. When he’s not at work, he spends his time exploring the nearby hiking trails and trying not to fall off his paddleboard.