Thomas T. Wilson is described in the preface of this book as "probably the best-known unknown painter in the Northwest." Most of his early paintings still hang within the houses of his original buyers. Very few of his paintings are in public spaces, and the artist has never sought or received formal gallery representation. Thomas T. Wilson: Paintings brings the hidden career and life of a masterful Pacific Northwest artist to light.

The bold lyricism and originality of Wilson's work is revealed in the lush farmlands of his native Illinois, his fascination with light and space in his tree compositions, and his vibrant landscapes and cloudscapes inspired by the dramatic environment of the Pacific Northwest. Wilson is also a prolific portraitist. He captured Seattle society after the dramatic impact of the 1962 World's Fair, a period which saw significant growth in the city's theater, opera, dance, music, and visual arts. Many of the people who were a part of this pre-Microsoft flourishing are Wilson's subjects. Even multiple generations within single families are represented in the painter's career. The artist also painted several self-portraits, and his works are unsparing progress reports of his life.

Thomas Wilson's work is a valuable record of a society within the cultural world it helped to create. This collection of portraits, self-portraits, and landscapes promises to be a revelation to all those unfamiliar with the artist and his work.

Photographs by: Tom Blue