About the Artist

Photo portrait of Artist Tomas Belsky
Tomas Nicolai Belsky

Painter, print maker, teacher, political activist and wordsmith, Tomas Belsky was born on July 4, 1938, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the seventh of nine children to Russian/Polish immigrant parents. "Mama said I was making pictures on the crib walls, so I've been at it awhile." After High School, there was some eye-opening factory work "that inspired higher education, with degrees in History, Painting and Spanish. Belsky went to Brazil (1965-68) with the U.S, Peace Corps, where the love of painting became paramount, largely due to the influence of naive anists working in favelas (slums) under adverse conditions lacking adequate art supplies.

Belsky has worked with young people in public schools, jails and half-way houses. Using creative processes to liberate students from numerous forms of anti-social behavior. "What art has done for me, it can do for others." Tomas Belsky's paintings and prints are collected from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, Japan and beyond.

Because it is an essentially primal method of pictorial expression, block print making fills a need for premeditated creativity as opposed to the more intuitive spontaneous aspects of oil painting. It also has the advantage of allowing the common citizen to own original works of art at reasonable prices.

Prints are silk screened by hand in limited editions, signed and pinky-printed by the artist. They are enlargements of the original blocks (wood, linoleum or pvc sheets) that are smaller in size. All prints are on 60 lb. - 80 lb. artist's kraft paper with off-black ink. Special editions on white paper are possible upon request. Subject matter is essentially related to the Spirit of Aloha 'Aina -- Love of the Land. This is the philosophy of Polynesia, that it would do America much good to follow. "We Have much to be thankful for in Hawaii, and through my work I try to spread the appreciation for Nature and God's blessings."

Tomas continues to reside in Hilo, Hawaiʻi with his family where he met his life partner, Moanikeʻala Akaka in 1974.