Tom's love for horses began at an early age when he would hear stories from his father who trained horses and mules while serving in the United States Marine Corp. He continued his passion for these incredible animals when he moved to California and resided near the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. There he would spend much of his time riding in the Hollywood hills. He wrote and illustrated his first book while still in elementary school. Needless to say it wasn't a commercial success, but Mom loved it! Tom is an artist, writer, illustrator, and designer. His body of work encompasses a broad range, from fine art to graphics. Several years ago he created a unique line of illustrations for the horse racing industry titled "The Life and Times of a Thoroughbred". It's a humorous look at horse racing from the horse's point of view. This line was so well received that his company Artstar Studios was asked to be one of the sponsors for the 2004 Preakness Celebration in Baltimore. Those images are now available on apparel and accessories via the internet at www.ArtstarStudios.com . He is involved in many animal rights organizations, including ReRun, a charity that finds homes for retired racehorses.