Tom West

Tom West received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy and holds an associate’s degree in fine arts from the Community College of Rhode Island. He is a war veteran turned professional artist. His personal work tackles issues of war, politics and popular culture.

West has, for many years, worked with nonprofits like RiverzEdge, the Steel Yard, AS220, the Green School, the MET School and more.
“As soon as I was able to start a living as a professional artist, I felt an immediate responsibility to give back,” he says.
West’s work is full of color, bold in its subject matter and just fun to look at. All of his work is created from recycled material.

West has shown work all over Rhode Island. Correction: There are very few places West has not shown art in Rhode Island. He currently runs his own creative design/printing company called Westminster Ink out of Olneyville in Providence. Last year, West started the Pigeon Hole Gallery, also in Olneyville. It focuses on explicit underground art and attempts to make difficult art work.

Hell is not expressing yourself / Art is heaven, a science of the soul / My religion of choice
The nation of art always at renaissance / The country of chaos / The ambassador of the unknown/But expression doesn't come easy / It is a battle of the self / It's leaving the circle game
I am a soldier / I am Tom West.