Thomas Butler is a figurative artist based in Southern California. He received an MFA from California State University, Long Beach, and a BFA from Laguna College of Art and Design. He has received several awards and scholarships, including two CSU graduate scholarships to study in Italy. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally in many venues, including the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, CA., Lyme Academy of Art, Lyme CT., Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., Lora Schlesinger Gallery, Santa Monica, CA., Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH., and G. Leopardi Gallery, Florence, Italy. He is included in several private collections in Beverly Hills, CA., Boston, MA., Tokyo, Japan, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is currently a professor of Art at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. 



EDUCATION

MFA

California State University,Long Beach

BFA

Laguna College of Art and Design, Magnua Cum Laude

Study Abroad
Laguna College of Art and Design
Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, Greece, England

California State University
Italy

TEACHING
Mt. San Antonio College, Professor of Art

CURATING
“The Figure in Contemporary Art”
Cypress College Art Gallery
September - November 2012
Artists Exhibited:
Sharon Allicotti, Sigmund Abeles, Juliette Aristides, Steven Assael, Domenic Cretara, Paul Fenniak, Kate Lehman, Odd Nerdrum, Vito-Leonardo Scarola, Thomas Stubbs, Ruth Weisberg, Jerome Witkin


AWARDS
2006
CSU Scholarship for Study in Italy

CSU Chancellor’s Exhibition Award

2005

Figurative Drawing and Painting Award, California State University, Long Beach

Honorable Mention, Long Beach Arts “The Figure” exhibition

2004

CSU Scholarship for Study in Italy

1997-2001

Laguna College of Art and Design Competitive Scholarship Award


COLLECTIONS
Lester and Eileen Traub, Beverly Hills, CA

Thomas Swimm, Laguna Beach, CA

Tom and Kathy Huxley, Brookings, OR

Christopher and Denise Ford, Memphis, TN

Christine Myers, Pasadena, CA

Katherine Froshner, St. Louis, MO

Thomas Stubbs, Los Angeles, CA

Domenic Cretara, Long Beach, CA

Richard Howland, Long Beach, CA


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Drawing Magazine, Spring 2014

“2007 CSU Chancellor’s Exhibit” CSU Press, 2007

“The Human Form In All Its Diversity”, Long Beach Press Telegram, May 27, 2005

“Italian Images” OC Weekly, November 4, 1999


SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2015

Thomas Butler: Paintings and Drawings

Santora Arts Building, Santa Ana, CA

2006

Thomas Butler: Current Work

Max Gatov Gallery, Long Beach, CA

2005

Thomas Butler: Recent Paintings and Drawings

Maxine Merlino Gallery, Long Beach, CA


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022
“Content through Figuration”
Santa Ana College Art Gallery, Santa Ana, CA

“Expressions West”
Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, OR

2014

“The Way of Flesh Part 2” (Cat.)

Mt. San Antonio College Art Gallery, Walnut, CA

2013

“the Silverpoint Exhibition” (Cat.)

National Arts Club, New York, NY

2012

"1942"

Great Park Gallery, Santa Ana, CA

2011

Didactic

Mt. San Antonio College Art Gallery, Walnut, CA

2010

Multiple Universes

Pasadena City College Art Gallery, Pasadena, CA.

Head First (Cat.)

Manifest gallery, Cincinnati, OH.

2009

Figure It Out

Coastline College Art Gallery, Huntington Beach, CA.

News of the World

Pasadena City College Art Gallery, Pasadena, CA.

2008

California Painting (Cat.)

Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA

Conveyances

Pasadena City College Art Gallery, Pasadena, CA.

Centered on the Center - Annual

Huntington Beach Art Center, Huntington Beach, CA.

Annual Faculty Exhibition

Coastline College Art Gallery, Huntington Beach, CA

2007

Capturing the Force of Stillness

Fairhaven Mausoleum, Santa Ana, CA

L.A. Biennial

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.

2006

CSU Chancellor’s Exhibition (juried) (exhibit -through 2007) (cat.)

CSU Chancellor’s Gallery, Long Beach, CA

45th Anniversary of Laguna College of Art and Design (cat.)

Seven Degrees Art Center, Laguna Beach, CA

Faculty Exhibition

Coastline College Art Gallery, Huntington Beach, CA

Fortnight

Raid Projects Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Filling the Pauses

Fairhaven Mausoleum, Santa Ana, CA

Arte Senza Confini

G. Leopardi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Insights (juried)

University Art Museum, California State University, Long Beach

The Likeness

Hunsaker/Schlesinger Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA

2005

Alumni Exhibition (juried)

Laguna College of Art and Design, Laguna Beach, CA

The Human Figure (juried)

Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA

2004

Revealing/Reviling

Viento y Agua Gallery, Long Beach, CA

Alumni Exhibition (juried)

Laguna College of Art of Design, CA

Arte Senza Confini

G. Leopardi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Printmaking Exhibition

Maxine Merlino Gallery, Long Beach, CA