Introduction
Tom Moody says his love for art began in junior high school, when he became interested in hotrods and motorcycles and would use his imagination to draw the kind he would like to own one day. "I was the one the teacher would rudely interrupt when caught sketching beneath my history and English beooks during class." His schools did not provide any formal art classes, but he did take a drafting class. After high school and his stint in the Marine Corps, Tom began taking classes at Southwestern Junior College as an Art Major, and received his Associate of Arts degree in 1972. He worked as an engineering technician for the Naval Weapons Station in Fallbrook, California. There he designed several mechanical fixtures for taking bombs and missiles apart and some electro-mechanical machines for testing explosive devices. While working for civil service he took refresher courses on drawing and found he was still pretty good at it. He began studying with Joe Garcia, a well known wildlife watercolor artist. Tom discovered acrylics and prefers that medium to watercolors. He does occasionally use watercolor plus colored pencil, pen and ink, alcohol ink, mixed media and wood carving. Tom Moody's work is included in private collections in Oklahoma, California, Washington, Oregon, and Texas. He has won several awards for his art, including the Brookings Azalea Festival and DNACA in Crescent City.