We recently connected with Thomas Tustin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

For me, risk-taking is what art is all about. I have never made a piece of art that came out exactly as it was formulated in my head. The excitement of painting comes from the painting process and the unexpected challenges along the way. Trust in oneself in the artmaking process is paramount to my practice. One of the biggest moments in the creation of art is just starting and trusting myself to figure out the puzzle that I create and being able to resolve it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I come from a non-traditional art background. I studied economics when I was younger and worked in finance. Yet, there was a part of me that always wanted to be an artist. I always had a curiosity for it when I was younger, taking several classes in high school, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I had the desire to become a professional artist. One of my proudest moments was having my parents come to my MFA show. I graduated from the Pratt Institute this past summer, and it was great to be able to show my parents where I made the work and see it on display.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, has always been a significant book in my life. It is about a Buddhist monk’s quest for enlightenment and the journey that gets him there. Sometimes, when making art, it’s easy to get caught up in the result and lose sight of the process. This is a story I always come back to when I feel stressed about my work. It helps me refocus and relax.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Painting is a large part of my life. I love being able to create. It’s challenging and enriching. There is nothing more satisfying to me than being in the middle of a painting. I am always exploring color, composition, and the figure in my work. I enjoy the endless possibilities that a blank canvas offers and am always thinking about my next artwork and how it connects to my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: Thomastustin.com
• Instagram: @thomastustin