SPOTLIGHT ON ... TOM MCGREGOR

 by JoAnn Frekot

This "Spotlight On" post features OT Artist Tom McGregor.  We talked about Tom's early artistic inclinations, his journey as a professional graphic and fine artist, and where he is at today.

Nature's Stonework, Tom McGregor

Can you tell me about your childhood and making art?

I grew up in Jamestown, North Dakota.  My mom had a beauty shop in our house on the ground level of our home.  At the time, the family of nine (my youngest brother hadn't been born yet) lived on the second level.

When I was four or five years old, my favorite pastime was hanging out in the back room of mom's shop, where there was a schoolroom blackboard.  I had a supply of colored chalk, and I would draw trains in expansive landscapes, complete with farms and broken fences.  

As I grew older, I started drawing cartoon characters, and made money by drawing them on T-shirts with Magic Markers.  

You're a musician too.  When did you start playing music?

I started playing guitar in the sixth grade.  My classmates also got guitars, which resulted in many bands being formed.  And, the bands needed posters. 

So there was a visual art connection there too.

Yes, I got into the business of creating posters.  I didn't have much in the way of supplies; mostly I used Magic Markers, which are very unforgiving.  I developed a reputation for being creative and innovative in my poster designs.

What did you do after graduating from high school?

Ancient Forces, Tom McGregor

Two years after graduating from high school, I headed off to college.  I studied art, and going against my natural instinct, painted abstract art.  

Rebelling against what they wanted me to learn, I dropped out of college after two years.

Then what did you do?

I traveled to California and other places, and I did a number of different things.  I was a machinist.  I worked as a waiter in San Francisco.  I was a fry cook at a Ski Ranch in the Sierra Nevadas, and a mason in North Dakota.  I worked out in western North and South Dakota and eastern Montana as an oil rigger.  I traveled around the country as a full-time musician.  

After eight years, I decided to return to the same college and study graphic design and drawing.  I was older and had a better grasp of what I wanted to achieve there.  I graduated with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design from the University of Minnesota - Moorhead.  

While you were working as a graphic artist, did you continue working on your own art?  

Yes. Every one of my design offices doubled as a painting studio.  I moved into Lowertown in Saint Paul around 1991.  There was an incredible artistic community in Lowertown at the time.  Almost everyone I met there was either an artist or a musician.  I felt immediately at home.  It inspired me to refocus on art. I met my wife, Jerri Jo, there.  

I tried a lot of mediums before settling on traditional oils and focusing on landscapes.  Gaining strength at finding patterns in nature,my ability to edit the landscape became more fluid because of my training and experiences being a graphic designer.  The two disciplines fed one another and sometimes I would incorporate my painting into my design work.  

Who and what would you say has influenced your art?

The Coteau, Tom McGregor

My mom, my dad, and my family have all influenced my art.  I have a very creative family; each member has a unique talent.  

I remember as a 10-year-old kid watching J.A. Kirkpatrick, a local artist, painting.  I asked him, "Do you make a living doing that?"  When he said he did, I thought, that's what I want to do.

Jerri Jo has also been an influence.  As a lifelong water colorist, she is my best critic.  All the creative people I have ever met, no matter how they expressed their creativity, have had an influence on me.  

How did you come to join OT Artists?

In 2019, I retired from graphic design.  But what about a studio space?  Moving home was not an option.  Fortunately, an OT Artist member whom I knew through Plein Air events invited me to interview for a space that had just become available.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Morning Calm, Tom McGregor

How would you describe your current artistic journey?

I've reached a stage where I just want to paint.  I'm not entering contests anymore, and selling my art is secondary to travelling and creating the work.  I'm teaching myself watercolors. On the music side, I play in my band "The Heuristics" just for fun.  I'm teaching a young friend how to play guitar.  I find that very rewarding. 

Any advice for artists who are starting out, as well as those of use who are on the journey?

If you feel it in your heart, go for it.

Thank you, Tom!