AARRTT
2 STYLES,
TRADITIONAL AND POP
The Art of Brian Tomori
By Aaron R. Fodiman
Serenity, a 48 inch-by-48 inch acrylic painting, depicts a geisha who is waiting for her
warrior’s return. The haiku, “Quiet reflection, the warm autumn breeze beckons her lover’s
return,” accompanies this painting that uses vibrant, contemporary colors to emphasize the
fabric details and her hair comb.
Emerging artist Brian Tomori is the American-born son of an Okinawan mother whose art is influenced by his ancestry.
After growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he studied art at Kendall College of Art and Design, Tomori headed
to New York City, where he worked for world-renowned fashion and lifestyle brands such as Perry Ellis and Kenneth Cole
for several decades. He moved to St. Petersburg to help enhance sales at the Home Shopping Network. It was here that his
passion for drawing and painting took over at age 54. Since he has been painting his entire life, this transition to full-time artist
was just a matter of time.
150 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018