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Biography

Education

1979-81 College of Marin, Kentfield, CA

1981-84 California State University, Long Beach. B.F.A., Drawing and Painting, 1984

Artist Residencies

2016

  • Creative Ecology, Palo Alto Art Center with Junior Museum and Zoo, City of Palo Alto, Jan – April

Teaching

1995-97 New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. Instructor (C.E.), Interpretive Figurative Painting

Solo Exhibitions

2018

  • Rockfowl and Other Wonders, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA, January 26 – June 28

2016

  • Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA., Creative Ecology: King Tides and Elusive Rails, April 26 – July 3

2014

  • University Museum, Sutton Hall, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, “Roots and Wings: Keeney and Tomb,” April 5 – May 17

2013

  • San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco, CA, “Endangered Birds of the Philippines,” October 2013 – March 2014

2012

  • Electric Works, San Francisco, CA, Grand Birds of the Philippines, October 12 – November 10
  • The Bone Room Presents, Berkeley, CA, “Jeepney Projects Worldwide: Vanishing Birds of the Philippines,” February 1 – February 29

2011

  • San Marco Gallery, Alemany Library, Dominican University, San Rafael, CA, “Jeepney Projects Worldwide: An Installation by David Tomb,” September 22 – October 29

2010

  • Electric Works, San Francisco, Ca., Borderland Birds/Aves Fronterizas, April 16 – May 29, 2010

2009

  • Angela Peralta Theatre, Mazatlan, Mexico, Treasures of the Sierra Madre: Birds of West Mexico, January

2008

  • Louie Meager Art Gallery @ Ohlone College, Fremont, Ca., The Plumed Serpent, November 8th – December 20th
  • Electric Works, San Francisco, Ca., Treasures of the Sierra Madre: Birds of West Mexico, February 22 – March 22

2007

  • Augusta State University Art Gallery, Augusta, Georgia, Hand Hewn – Portraits by David Tomb, November 8th – December 6th

2006

  • Hartnell College Gallery, Salinas, CA., David Tomb The Figure Unstudied, November 8th-December 20th

2005

  • Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, Ca., New Works by California Artists: David Tomb, Dec. 15 – Feb. 20.
  • Louie Meager Art Gallery @ Ohlone College, Fremont, Ca., Vim and Vigor – Works on Paper, Sept. 14 – Oct. 15

2004

  • David Lusk Gallery, Memphis, TN, David Tomb: Birds and Blokes, September 1-25

2003

  • The William Scott Gallery, Boston, MA, David Tomb: Rogue’s Gallery, October 3 – November 1
  • Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA, David Tomb, Ogle: Works on Paper, July 8 – August 2

2001

  • Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA, David Tomb, Fresh Contour: Portraits on Paper , December 6-29
  • The Avram Gallery, Southampton College, Long Island University, Southampton, NY, David Tomb: Twitch, November 5 – December 7. Brochure

2000

  • Hackett-Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Diorama, November 2 – December 2
  • Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA, David Tomb: Portraits, January 7 – April 9. Catalogue

1995

  • The William-Scott Gallery, Provincetown, MA, David Tomb: Charcoal Figure Drawings and Oil Portraits, August 18-31

1994

  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, David Tomb: Recent Work, March 3 – April 2

1992

  • Louis Newman Galleries, Beverly Hills, David Tomb: Recent Work, April 2-16

1990

  • Louis Newman Galleries, Beverly Hills, CA, David Tomb: Recent Work, November 15-29
  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, David Tomb: Recent Paintings and Charcoal Drawings, September 12 – October 13. Brochure

Group Exhibitions

2027

  • Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, David Tomb, Isabella Kirkland, Tiffany Bozic, March 8–April 23

2026

  • Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI, Birds in Art 2026, September 12–January 2027
  • Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Summer 2026: Part 1, June 6–July 11
  • Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, Petaluma, CA, Time and Tide, April 9–June 7
  • Mini Gallery SF, San Francisco, CA, Aladdin’s Castle, David Tomb, James Patrick Finnegan, Rik Ritchey, October 3–November 7

2025

  • Marin MOCA, San Rafael, CA, 5x5x5, October 18–December 28
  • Andra Norris Art Gallery, Burlingame, CA, Yay Birds!, October 11–November 7

2023

  • Wildling Museum of Art, Solvang, CA, Birds Eye View: Four Perspectives, March 18–September 4
  • College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA, Monumentally Fragile: Large Scale Works on Paper by Catherine Ruane, David Tomb and Holly Wong, February 28–March 24

2022

  • Triton Museum of Art, Let’s Face It!: Selections from the Permanent Collection, May 14–July 17

2020 and 2021

  • Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA, Bird, Nest and Nature (invited artist), October 13–February 7

2018

  • Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, How Do You Figure?, March 15–August 20

2017

  • Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, Honoring the Legacy of David Park, April 3–28

2016

  • Embassy of the United States, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Ebert-Gray’s Art in Embassies Exhibition

2013

  • Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA, Pose, Gesture, Image: IDENTITY, May 17–September 1
  • Ayala Museum, Manila, Philippines, Hornbills—Past, Present, Future, April 24–May 5

2012

  • Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA, Trees of Life: A New Vision for Art, Ecology, and Community, February 16–June 3

2011

  • Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA, Selections From the Permanent Collection: Perceiving the Real, February 26–May 1

2010

  • Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Presidio Habitats, May 16, 2010–May 15, 2011

2009

  • Michael Berger Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, East Meets West, September 5–November 14

2008

  • Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Drawing the Lines—Celebrating 100 Years of Natural History, October

  • Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR, Visions: Contemporary Drawings from the James T. Dyke Collection (curated by Townsend Wolfe), September 12–November 9, 2008

2007

  • Naples Museum of Art, Naples, FL, Visions: Contemporary Drawings from the James T. Dyke Collection, December 21–June 2008 (traveling show: Arkansas Art Center)
  • Electric Works, San Francisco, CA, Civil Twilight, November 30–January 5, 2008
  • Michael Berger Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, Mind/Body/Spirit: Huang Xiang/William Rock, Philip Pearlstein, July 21–September 29

2006

  • Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA, Beyond the Likeness: Self-Portraits by California Artists, August 8–October 11
  • Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA, Monterey Collects: Masterworks from Monterey County Collections, June 10–September 10

2005

  • William Scott Gallery, Provincetown, MA, Season Preview Salon, May 27–June
  • Scott White Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA, Fresh Flesh, March 4–April 16
  • S.F.M.O.M.A. Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Trillium Press, January 12–February 4

2004

  • The William-Scott Gallery, Provincetown, MA, Season Preview Salon, May 28–June 16

2003

  • Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL, Equinox: Bob Burdette, Tom McKee, Barbara Mittman, David Tomb, March 21–April 15

2002

  • Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Drawings VI, July 27–September 7

2000 – 2001

  • Fairfield Center Gallery, Fairfield, CA, Effigies of the Spirit: Bay Area Portraiture, November 16, 2000–January 19, 2001Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Drawings V, July 27–September 2

1998

  • Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Drawings IV, July 11–September 12
  • The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR, National Drawing Invitational (curated by Townsend Wolfe), May 7–June 21. Catalogue

1997

  • Monterey Museum of Art, La Mirada, CA, Toward the Millennium: Contemporary Painting from Northern California, November 22, 1997–February 15, 1998

1996

  • William Scott Gallery, Boston, MA, Group Show, November
  • K & E Gallery, New York, NY, Heads, July 11–August 1

1995

  • Dorothy Weiss Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Daniel Brice/David Tomb: Recent Drawings, April 6–29

1994

  • Susan Cummins Gallery, Mill Valley, CA, Drawing the Line (curated by Townsend Wolfe), February 28–April 2

1993

  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Drawings by American Artists, March 4–27
  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Bay Area Painting III, January 7–30

1991

  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA, New Bay Area Painting II, January 31–March 2

1990

  • Gallery North, Setauket, NY, Once by the Pacific: California Bay Area Artists, July 1–August 5
  • Oliver Art Center, California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland, CA, Contemporary Realist Painting: Perception and Experience, May 30–July 21
  • The Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA, Oakland’s Artists ’90, March 24–July 1. Catalogue

1989

  • Contemporary Realist Gallery, San Francisco, CA, New Bay Area Painting, December 7, 1989–January 20, 1990. Brochure
  • Butterfield & Butterfield, San Francisco, CA, Art Against AIDS, May 8–June 18. Catalogue

Public Collections

  • Embassy of the United States, Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea
  • Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center
  • The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, U.C. Berkeley
  • Library of Congress — New World Border print project
  • California Public Utilities Commission
  • Huntington Library Art Collections, San Marino, CA
  • Art Collection of the Consulate General of the United States, Ciudad Juarez
    and the Art Collection of the Consulate General of the United States, Tijuana
  • Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, CA
  • The Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AK
  • Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA
  • The Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA
  • Triton Museum of Art, Santa Clara, CA
  • Hartnell College, Salinas, CA
  • Augusta State University, Augusta, GA
  • Angela Peralta Theatre, Mazatlan, Mexico,
  • Quinta Mazatlan-World Birding Center, McAllen, TX
  • Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
  • Embassy of the United States, Manila, Philippines
  • University Museum, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • Crystal Bridges Museum of Art

Scholarships and Awards

  • 1984 Long Beach Art Association, Long Beach, CA, Open Juried Show. Honorable Mention
  • California State University, Long Beach. Fine Arts Affiliates Scholarship
  • 1986 California State Fair, Sacramento, California Works. Award of Excellence
  • 1987 California State Fair, Sacramento, California Works. Award of Excellence
  • Marin Society of Artists, Ross, CA, Open Fine Arts Exhibition 1987. Best of Show Award
  • Jewish Community Center, Houston, TX, 21st Juried Exhibition. Honorable Mentions (three awards)
  • 1988 Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA, 4th Annual Exhibition. Honored Artist
  • 1989 Pro Arts, Oakland, CA, Pro Arts Annual. Honored Artist

Lectures

  • 1990 Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA
  • California State University, Long Beach
  • 1997 Artists Forum, San Francisco, “Obession Revealed: The Serial Portrait,” in conversation with Bruce Nixon, May 6
  • Artists Forum, San Francisco, “Painting/Architecture: Abstraction of Ideas and Forms,” in conversation with Bruce Tomb, June 3
  • 2000 Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA, Gallery talk in conjunction with the exhibition David Tomb: Portraits, February 10
  • 2001 The Avram Gallery, Southampton College, Long Island University, Southampton, NY, in conjunction with the exhibition David Tomb: Twitch
  • 2011 San Marco Gallery, Dominican University,  San Rafael, CA
  • 2013 San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium, lecture with Ian Austin in conjunction with the exhibition “Endangered Birds of the Philippines,” October 19
  • 2017 Palo Alto Art Center, June 17
  • 2018 Fresno Art Museum, “The Philippine Eagle and the Art of Conservation,” May 11

Bibliography

Catalogues

Ambassador Catherine Ebert-Gray, Art in the Embassies Exhibition: United States Embassy Port Moresby, January, 2017, Ill.: Hooded Pitta, Dollarbird, On Demon Pond

Harrison Drake, Renee. Art Collection of the Consulate General of the United States: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Art in the Embassies Program, United States Department of State, 2009.Ill.: Tufted Jay (detail) twice, 2008; Barred Forrest-Falcon, 2008; Ornate Hawk-Eagle, 2008

Jacob, Mary Jane. The Annual. Oakland, CA: Pro Arts, 1989. Ill.: Richard and Mockingbird – Navigation, 1986-87

Jones, Harvey. Oakland’s Artists ’90. Oakland, CA: The Oakland Museum, 1990. Ill.: Woody

National Art Against AIDS. Art Against AIDS. New York: National Art Against AIDS, 1989. Ill.: Richard Navigating, 1988

Pilar, Jacquelin (foreword); Johnson, Robert Flynn; and Nixon, Bruce. David Tomb. Fresno, CA: Fresno Art Museum, 2000

Wolfe, Townsend. 7th Biennial National Drawing Invitational. Little Rock: The Arkansas Art Center, 1998. Ill.: Quiet Conversations, 1987; Richard Haldol Artane, 1987-89

Wolfe, Townsend. Visions: Contemporary Drawings from the James T. Dyke Collection, 2007. Naples Museum of Art, Arkansas Art Center, p. 31, Ill.: Noah

Brochures

Contemporary Realist Gallery. David Tomb. San Francisco: Contemporary Realist Gallery, 1990. Ill.: Duane II, 1990; Navigation, 1990

Freedman, Tracy, and Hackett, Michael. New Bay Area Painting. San Francisco: Contemporary Realist Gallery, 1989. Ill.: Fall Migration, 1988

Articles

American Psychologist, vol, 51, no. 9, Sept. 1996. Cover Ill.: Lee Vilensky, 1993

—, vol, 52, no. 12, Dec. 1997. Cover Ill.: Billy Nayer in Moonlight

Baker, Kenneth. “Judging the Art and the Jury.” San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 2, 1989

—. San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 22, 1990

—. “Dennis Leon’s Rough Bronzes/Drawings at Weiss Gallery.” San Francisco Chronicle, Apr. 24, 1995, pp. E1-2. Ill.: A.S.L. No. 1, 1995

—. “Portraits of Energy and Immediacy.” San Francisco Chronicle, July 26, 2003, p. D10. Ill.: Feeling Groovy, 2003; J.J., 2003

—. “A body of Work Inextricably Linked to the Artist’s Persona, Self Analysis,” San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 24, pp. E1,10, Ill. “Whiskered Mencher” 2005

—. Bay Area visual arts picks: “Endangered Birds of the Philippines, March 6,” March 5, 2014

Bateria (German Art and Literature Journal), no. 12, 1992, pp. 25-26, 37, 57, 77

Bridson, Susan. “San Francisco Siren Song.” Three Village Herald (NY), July 11, 1990

Brunson, Jamie. “Fresh Start: New Galleries Inject Life into Downtown Oakland.” Artweek, Mar. 1, 1990

Cheng, Dewitt. “David Tomb: ‘Borderland Birds/Aves Fronterizas’ at Electric Works” Art Ltd. July 2010, Ill. p. 17, Border Troop,

Cotinga. Journal of the Neotropical Bird Club. Autumn 2014, no. 36. Cover ill.: Tufted Jays

—, June 2020, no. 42. Cover ill.: Thick-billed Parrot

—, July 2026, no. 48. Cover ill.: Collared Forest-Falcon

“David Tomb: ‘Ogle.’” The Week (NY), July 18, 2003. Ill.: Mencher, 2003

Hamlin, Jesse. “They’ve Got Personality.” San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 1, 2000, p. D1, D4. Ill.

Harper’s Magazine, vol. 303, no. 1817, Oct. 2001, p. 17. Ill.: Navigation, 1990

Harrison, Helen A. “The Pacific View Lives On.” New York Times (Long Island), July 22, 1990, p. 11

Helfand, Glen. “Bay Beat.” San Francisco Focus Magazine, p. 99

Hunter, Elizabeth. Village Times, July 19, 1990

Huston, Johnny Ray. “Best of 2008 – Year in Review.” San Francisco Bay Guardian, Dec. 24-30, 2008, p. 42.

Koppman, Debra. “Previews.” Artweek, vol. 24, no. 6, July/Aug. 2003, p. 6. Ill.: Paul Wonner

Miller, George Oxford. “Last Chance for the World’s Rarest Eagle.” Living Bird Spring 2012: 28–35. Print.

Monroe, Donald, “New Exhibitions take Roost at the Fresno Art Museum,” The Munro Review (blog), January 26, 2018, Ill.: detail, Rock and Rockfowl.

“Museums and Galleries.” San Francisco Chronicle, Nov. 19, 2000, p. 25. Ill.: Cory

New Yorker, The. May 29, 1995, p. 22. Ill.: Ouattara, 1995

—, Aug. 21 & 28, 1995, p. 26. Ill.: Nusrat-Fateh Ali Kahn

—, Sept. 18, 1995, p. 22. Ill.: Painkiller, Cory McAbee, 1987-94

—, Nov. 6, 1995, p. 45. Ill.: Arvo Pärt

—, Nov. 27, 1995, p. 51. Ill.: Ken Saro-Wiwa

—, Apr. 1, 1996, p. 26. Ill.: Barry Yourgrau, 1996

—, Apr. 29 & May 6, 1996, p. 18. Ill.: Ron Brown Dance Company

—, Jan. 29, 1996, p. 12. Ill.: F. Murray Abraham

—, Sept. 30, 1996, p. 8. Ill.: Electra National Theater of Greece

—, Dec. 9, 1996, p. 22. Ill.: Joy Kellman Dance Company

—, Dec. 23 & 30, 1996, p. 33. Ill.: Charlie Milgrim

—, Apr. 14, 1997, p. 16. Ill.: Sonny Rollins

—, June 16, 1997, p. 25. Ill.: Lois V. Vierk, Eric Ewazen

—, July 7, 1997, p. 8. Ill.: Jane Atkinson, Ruben Santiago-Hudsen & Josef Sommer in Henry VIII

—, Sept. 29, 1997, p. 82. Ill.: Arthur Golden

—, March 16, 1998, p. 19. Ill.: Richard Goode

—, Jan. 25, 1999, p. 14. Ill.: Manuel Neri

—, May 24, 1999, p. 12. Ill.: Steve Paxton

New York Times Book Review, Feb. 11, 1996. Cover illustration

Pincus, Robert C., “A World in Flux,” The San Diego Union-Telegram, March 24, pp. Up Front 4,6, Ill. Frank Lobdell, 2005

“Portraits with Soul.” Fresno Bee (Fresno, CA), Dec. 26, 1999, p. H5. Ill.: Quiet Conversation, 1987

Roche, Harry. “The Real Thing.” San Francisco Bay Guardian, Aug. 20, 1997, p. 59. Ill.: Bukowski, 1992

—. “Art.” S.F. Weekly, Nov. 15-21, 2000, p. 43

Rodriguez, Richard. “‘Great Wall of America’ and the threat from within cynicism, hypocrisy and an entirely un-American urge to exclude are the foundation of the barrier that stretches along the border with Mexico.” Los Angeles Times. “Sunday Opinion.” Sep. 5, 2010

Seed, John. “Nothing Worth Anything is Easy.” Huffington Post. Feb 10, 2011. III.: Frank Lobdell

Seed, John. “Bird-Loving Artist David Tomb on his Recent Palo Alto Residency and Exhibition.” HuffPost Arts & Culture. The Huffington Post, 30 Apr. 2016. Web. May 2016.

—. “David Tomb: The Art of Saving the Great Philippine Eagle.” Huffington Post. Jan. 23, 2012. Web.

Shaw, Kurt. “Four Artists Put New Works on Display at Michael Berger Gallery.” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Aug. 2, 2007

Swanhuyser, Hiya, and Slaton, Joyce. “Night & Day.” S.F. Weekly, July 16-22, 2003, p. 27

The Threepenny Review, vol. 15, no. 3, Fall 1994. Ill.: cover & pp. 4, 7, 8, 11, 15

—, vol. 18, no. 3, Fall 1997. Ill.: Cover & pp. 3, 7, 10, 13, 22-24

Van Proyen, Mark. Artweek, Feb. 25, 1989

—. “A Reflective Protagonist.” Artweek, Apr. 22, 1989. Ill.: Hibernation

—. Artweek, May 10, 1990

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Books

American Illustration 15, American Illustration, 1996, Ill: Cory McAbee

Book cover: Lewis, Daniel, Belonging to an Island — Birds Extinction and Evolution in Hawai’i, Yale University Press, 2018, Ill.: Oriental White-Eye

Artists of the Bay Area, Jen Tough Gallery, 2021, Ill.: Rufous Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Fruit-Doves, Bornean Bristlehead

Wildlands, Jen Tough Gallery, 2021, Ill.: Rock and Rockfowl