Thomas Clark
Gisborne

Thomas displays a strong sense of identity, rooted in his upbringing here in Te Tairawhiti. As he heads into his final six months of study towards a Degree in Maori Visual Arts at the Tairawhiti Polytechnic's Toihoukura School of Contemporary Arts, he is looking ahead to his future.
There are two strands to Thomas's work. One is his painting, a passion from his early years, and one which he had thought held no promise of a future. The other is Ta Moko. Returning to Aotearoa from Sydney where he had been working making fibre optic cables, Thomas decided to have his first ta moko applied by Toihoukura tutor and senior artist Derek Lardelli; an experience which left him 'hooked'. Suddenly the good money that can be found in Sydney lost its appeal and importance and Thomas has found a much happier and more fulfilling existence immersed in te ao toi maori - the world of Maori art.
Thomas finds ta moko all consuming. "There is a lot of depth to ta moko; there are a lot of things you need to know. It is a sacred art. When you do ta moko, you are doing more than just applying ink to skin." Thomas derives much inspiration from today's senior artists, he sees his art practice as being greatly enriched by his commitment to learning te reo.

To purchase works or commission Thomas, you can reach him via email: bigbruva2002@hotmail.com