Thom Wright has simultaneously pursued careers in engineering and art.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, he graduated in 1970 with an MA in mathematics from CSULA, and then began a 32 year career in aerospace.   In parallel he learned to draw and paint.  His art interests initially were centered in abstract landscape and figurative painting, influenced both by 20th century European modernists and American expressionists.  His dual backgrounds and interests eventually combined towards man-versus-the-earth issues and transformation processes. His abstract painting style also migrated towards inclusion of industrial materials and mixed media.  Desiring to improve his skills, theory and knowledge in art, he took early retirement from the Boeing Corp. in 1999 and entered art school full time.  In May, 2006, he completed the MFA program in Drawing and Painting at California State University, Long Beach, and is now pursuing a career in art.

Selected Exhibitions (*Solo Shows)
2009   SPRING ALL MEDIA EXHIBITION, Open group show by the Huntington Beach Art League, juror is artist and teacher Tom Fong, NWS, Huntington Beach Central Library, Huntington Beach, CA.
2008   MADE IN CALIFORNIA, A state-wide juried, all-media exhibition at the City of Brea Art Gallery, Brea, CA, juror is Gloria Williams Sanders of the Norton Simon Art Museum.
2008 NATIONAL OPEN EXHIBITION, A national juried, all-media group show sponsored by Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA.
2007    *GLOBAL WARMING CYCLES, Aliso Viejo Library, Aliso Viejo, CA.
GLOBAL WARMING: ARTISTS’ SPEAK, Juried national all-media exhibition at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA), Santa Ana, CA.
ABSTRACT WORKS, Group show of four invited artists at the J Flynn Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA.
2006    2006 NATIONAL OPEN EXHIBITION, Long Beach Arts Gallery, Long Beach, CA.
ALL MEDIA 2006, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA.
FORTNIGHT, Raid Projects Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
*Global Warming Cycles, MFA Exhibition, Werby Art Gallery, CSULB, Long Beach, CA.

Art Related Experience
2008     President, Southern California Artists, Inc., Laguna Beach, CA.
2007    Art instructor at Harbor Day School as visiting artist, Newport Beach, CA.
Juror, Sunset Beach Art Festival and Exhibition, Sunset Beach, CA.
Publicity Chair, Southern California Artists, Inc., Santa Ana, CA.

Awards/Honors                     
2006    MFA cum laude graduate, CSULB, Long Beach, CA.

Education       
2006    MFA in Drawing and Painting at CSULB, Long Beach, CA.
2000 – 2003:  BFA program in Drawing and Painting at CSULB, Long Beach, CA.
1973    MBA Behavioral Management, CSULA, Los Angeles, CA.
1970    MS Mathematics, CSULA, Los Angeles, CA.

1968    BA Mathematics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.