To a Metal student in need.
Tom Lynn
Tom Lynn was born in Pasadena, California in 1939. He served in the US Navy before attending San Jose State University where he earned a degree in Fine Art. While a student, Tom also became a respected sculptor and metal artist specializing in cast aluminum artwork and was an early innovator of the “lost Styrofoam” technique for pattern making and aluminum casting. During the 1960’s, Tom and fellow metal artists built a foundry in Morgan Hill, Ca. and from that point on Tom always found ways to “move metal”. Tom produced sculptural metal furniture during this period and is represented in private and museum collections, including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. In 1966, Tom won a National Merit Award from the American Craftsmen Council.
Tom and his partner, Shelley, came to British Columbia in 1969 and never left. Tom became a proud Canadian. They built a log home on their property in Winlaw and raised their daughter and son. They were “back to the land” advocates with a cow, chickens, goats, dogs, cats and vegetable garden. Toms love for art, his need to create, found him once again building a studio/foundry where he could resume his metal casting, producing a variety of artistic and functional sculpture.
In addition to his personal art, Tom collaborated with various other artists and architects. These partnerships produced some of Tom’s most publicly prominent works including displays at BC Expo “86. Tom worked with his long time friend and fellow KSA instructor, Robert Inwood, in producing major works of public art that included: numerous street furnishing elements in downtown Nelson’s heritage revitalization program; monumental grizzly bear statues in Revelstoke; The BC Provincial Heritage ‘Stop of Interest’ interpretive markers along the Highway 3 corridor; the City of Trail Champions Monument’ and ornamental elements on the Kootenay Lake ferry, Osprey 2000. Tom worked in collaboration with Ray Saunders, clock maker, and produced several huge street clocks that can be found in Vancouver, including Queen Elizabeth Park. Tom also collaborated with his artist friend, Lou Lynn, creating outdoor sculptures that combined cast aluminum with architectural art glass.
Tom was involved in the early developmental stages of Kootenay School of the Arts, spearheading the establishment of the school’s Metal Program. Tom helped build a foundry for the art school, and taught ‘pattern casting’ to many students over the years. He loved teaching, but most of all he loved the interaction with his students. They became friends.
Tom loved and enjoyed his children, Nona and Logan. He and his wife Shelley were lucky enough to share a 39 year relationship filled with adventure. Tom was close to his parents, and learned a strong work ethic from them, as well as a love of nature and animals.
Tributes to Tom were many and as one fellow artist said, “We know he will be greatly missed in our artistic community. He was someone we all respected and admired, and was generous in sharing his skills”.
Another friend said, “People flocked to him, wanted to be around him, because he lived with both earnestness and zest, always trying to be true to what he believed to be important. His art was beautiful as well as useful, and so was he, in the deepest way. He was smart, so smart, but never arrogant. And his humor, his humor! Not only was he himself witty, he was the first to laugh at himself”.
Tom Lynn was a man you could count on: intense, honest, generous, energetic and intelligent.
Tom dreamed…then made his dreams a reality. He lived the life he created.
Tom died from complications from cancer, September 9, 2008.