"Red, Red" acrylic 12" x 12"

Tom Flowers received his bachelor's degree from Furman University and his MFA from the University of Iowa. He taught at Ottawa University in Kansas and at East Carolina University in N.C., before coming to Furman University where he spent most of his career as Art Professor and head of the Art Department. Now Professor Emeritus of Art at Furman University, Flowers has won numerous awards for his creative work.  They include the purchase award in the Painter's Choice Exhibition at Georgia College; the second place award at the Franklin Mint Bi-Centennial Medal Competition; the Art and Architecture Award from the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects; the South Carolina Guild Sculpture Award; and the Best in Show award at the 23rd Spring Mills Art Exhibition. He has traveled extensively in Europe and in other parts of the world.  He received a Fulbright grant to travel and study in India.  He has directed study courses in Europe.  He is listed in Who's Who in American Art. 

The South Caroina State Museum selected Flowers as one of the "!00 Artists in 100 Years" celebration and exhibition in the year 2000.  Flowers has held one-man exhibits in the Mid-West and throughout the South.  Many of his works are in permanent collections: including those of Chase Manhattan Bank, Vincent Price Enterprises, the South Carolina Arts Commission, Spring Mills, Greenville Museum of Art, Asheville Museum of Art, Columbia Museum of Art, Florence S.C. Museum of Art, Citizens and Southern National Bank, Palmetto Bank, South Caroina National Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of Virginia and Nations Bank.  Flowers was one of the twelve artist from South Carolina whose works were presented in the South Carolina National Bank Exhibition entitled "The Bi-Centennial: An Interpretative Approach," and his work was included in the "Portrait of the South" exhibition in Rome, Italy.

First of all I am an artist.  I have a passion for life and nature, and I express it through my art.  I paint and I sculpt.  I observe as much as I can see, and I am always looking for things or visions that I can use effectively in my art work.  I work on something visual every day; either sketching or painting a watercolor in my sketchbook, chipping away at a current sculpture project, or putting paint on canvas or paper.  Life is always a learning experience for me.

                                                                                Tom Flowers, 2006