Thomas Sterner

About the Artist

Thomas Sterner is a full-time artist living near Union Mills MD, where he built his ‘Art Factory’ studio, with a large woodshop, welding area, and a painting/printmaking loft, nestled in the forest on the edge of farmland.  He works in various materials including steel, wood, paint and ink.  The new outdoor welding area with hoist and trolley assists in the fabrication of large public work commissions.  Thomas teaches workshops.  He is a member of NOMA Gallery and Baltimore Sculptors, and exhibits regionally and internationally.  Thomas’s art communicates thoughtful or humorous ideas using varied techniques and materials, with unusual juxtaposition of image, action or title to engage the viewer.  The goal of his art is to make people smile and think. His prior employment in industry and manufacturing further developed his sense of process, discovery, and human error in his art making, although he remains firmly anchored in natural subjects.  He is building his 7th public sculpture commission in 3 years (2019-2021).  The immensely successful ‘Big Fish, School of Fish’ a stainless steel rockfish made of 557 smaller rockfish installed at Concord Point Park in Havre de Grace in August 2019, communicates a feeling of collective heroism achieving a common purpose.  ‘Tree of Life’, a kinetic wind sculpture installed in Carroll Creek in March 2020 spins at 5 revolutions per minute in a 9 mile an hour breeze.  Gateway sculptures, 'Water Lily Wave' will be 14' tall x 40' long, and 'Water Lily Swirl' 20' tall x 32' long, are stainless steel installed in 2020.