MARIN ARTS & CULTURE 9
A Lasting Impression
In tune with the world and people around him
hen I was looking for an
image for the cover of the
first issue of Marin Arts & Culture, fate stepped in. I had shown several people sample copies of the cover that represented the look and feel of the magazine that we wanted, but I was not yet exactly sure what image to use. Tom Killion’s name kept coming up.
When I posted the sample cover on Facebook and asked people what they thought, again, people said, You should consider Tom Killion.” Then, my copy of Marin Center Magazine arrived, and guess what? On the cover was an image of a Tom Killion woodcut, with the headline “Marin Cultural Treasure, Tom Killion.” Sometimes I need to be hit over the head to get the picture!
In the Marin Center article, Killion says, “I am so honored to receive this recognition from the Marin County Cultural Commission. As a Marin County native, I cherish this place and people more than anywhere else in the world, and to feel the support of my community here constantly inspires me to keep exploring the limitless possibilities of artistic creation.”
Meeting Tom at his studio, I was struck by how in tune he seems to be with the world and the people who inhabit it. Friendly, unassuming, understanding the uniqueness of his talents, but not impressed with his status, he has a way of cutting through the dance of a first meeting to connect.
Perhaps his love and study of history and humanities strip away all pretense. Tom majored in history at UC Santa Cruz, and years later attended Stanford on a full scholarship, acquiring a Ph.D. in African History.
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20 MARIN ARTS & CULTURE
Mt. Tam from Ring Mountain
by Meredith Griffin