Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tomas Daskam. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Tomas thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I always knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally I just didn’t know exactly what that was. I was lucky enough to study industrial design, photography, and art but I still felt I hadn’t found the discipline that fit. Now I can tell that all of these disciplines are related to the furniture and painting work I do today. Through trial and error, I found my way to a place where the earlier paths that may have seemed at first like mistakes turned out to be building something substantial. I learned it’s important to follow your core interests without being afraid . . . detours are some of the most important lessons.

Tomas , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a furniture designer and fabricator for 26 years and started painting six years ago at the Art Students League of New York. I’ve always been drawn to the skill and craft required to build custom objects.

I was co-owner of a design and build firm in the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC). We specialized in full interior renovations of private homes and restaurants. My role was furniture and built-ins and the design of custom interior spaces influenced by Japanese and Danish design and joinery.

I was born in Santiago, Chile and grew up spending time in Patagonia where I remain involved in wildlife photography and other photographic projects and where I maintain a studio. For the last six years, I’ve devoted my time to painting the figure from life.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Learning the craft of woodworking seemed unreachable. I feel lucky to have met very experienced craftsmen who shared their knowledge. Being in a studio with experienced woodworkers who were open to sharing their skills was enriching.

Painting seemed even more unreachable as a craft. I thought that you had to be extra gifted to accomplish technically proficient representational work but with repetition and the influence of skillful painters at The Art Students League and Minerva’s Drawing Studio (Spring Studio), I was able to grow.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the opportunity to focus your energy on your core interests–the ideas you’ve always been drawn to but might not fully understand and that over time evolve into powerful and unexpected forms. You get hooked to this process in a healthy way.

Contact Info:

• Website: flickr.com/photos/tomasdaskam (furniture)
• Instagram: @tomasdaskam (furniture) @tomas_daskam (paintings)

Image Credits

please add to the photo of furniture , the long credenza – desk that hangs from wall:

Doug Stiles designer/collaborator