Art has been a part of my life since I was a
small child and was encouraged by my
parents. My father was in the engineering
field and always felt that I had the aptitude
to pursue this field as my older brother did.
Alas, he accepted my wanting to get into
the arts and my inherited engineering ability
seemed to be an important aspect of my
career.

At the age of fourteen, I began studying
painting with Gerry Quier, an artist of local
note. These classes lasted through my senior
year in high school. Then it was off to
Philadelphia and the Museum School of Art
(University of the Arts), to study Industrial
Design. After the first year however, my
family situation changed and I was unable to
return to school the next fall semester. I
found work in the Dixie Cup art department
and gained much experience in the design
and production of their products.

My next stop was Sanders & Thomas in
Pottstown, PA., a consulting engineering
firm with an excellent technical illustration
department. During this four year stint, I was
able to master all aspects of this field. I
became readily aware that my inherent
engineering aptitude had come to the fore
front as my ability to read blueprints and
interpret them into 3D illustrations was far
an above anyone in the department. On one
occasion my task was to create a 3D
illustration of a Pontiac automobile frame
showing the bottom side up, from blueprints.
This was accomplished in half the time my
partner in the project did the right side up
version. During my term there I was allowed
to spend evenings to teach myself the art of

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airbrushing and was given many
opportunities to use these new skills.

After two years at IBM Federal Systems
Division in Owego, NY, I returned to the
Lehigh Valley and in the spring of 1963
started the first Art Service studio in the
Lehigh Valley. After the first month, Bob
Evans joined me and we formed Dorshimer
& Evans, Inc. We enjoyed the company of
many wonderful artists and designers over
the next 30 some years, while working with
the Who's Who of corporate Lehigh Valley
and the surrounding region.

During the mid-eighties I spent a number of
years under the tutelage of Will Behler, who
did a great job in loosening me up from my
tight commercial technique. He fostered the
use of pastels in this attempt and I am still
practicing this technique today.

There was a period of two and one half
years, during semi-retirement, that I devoted
about a third of my working hours with
painting. On the First Friday of September,
2003 I opened my Studio at the Banana
Factory and became a full time fine artist.
This was possibly the best move of my
adult career as the camaraderie with other
professional artists was both inspirational
as well as informative. Doug Wiltraut,
Nessa Grainger, Ann Elizabeth Schlegel,
Priscilla Rosenberger and Ben Marcune
are but a few of the resident artists who
had a great deal of influence on my work.
I left the Factory with much regret when
we relocated to Westminster, MD.

As you can see, most of my art education
has been self taught with the help of the
above mentioned artists. My work although
limited at this point, displays my fascination
with the colors and textures in nature and the
play of highlights and shadows.

I welcome you to browse my Gallery pages
and click on each thumbnail to view the
enlarged version.

Thomas L. Dorshimer