Tom Rowley VanSant

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Stanford University

Tom VanSant Obituary

February 26, 1931 - March 6, 2023 Tom Van Sant, 92, peacefully passed away on Monday, March 6th, in Guadalajara, Mexico with his dear friend by his side. He was a prominent painter, sculptor and educator with a career spanning more than five decades. He was known for his public sculptures, architectural commissions, innovations in kite design and fabrication, as well as contributions to Earth Sciences and environmental advocacy.
Tom was a prolific artist. He earned a B.A. from Stanford University in 1953, and an M.F.A. from Otis Art Institute in 1957. Through the 1950's Tom painted scenic watercolors of Mexico and California alongside prominent artist and mentor, Millard Sheets. He pioneered novel fabrication techniques in concrete mural casting and has completed more than 60 public murals and sculptures. He pioneered novel materials in kite fabrication that revolutionized the scale and design possibilities, creating some that reached hundreds of feet long. His work has been exhibited in more than 15 solo shows around the world. In 1989, he co-founded Eyes on Earth, a non-profit corporation focused on environmental issues, and shortly thereafter created the Geosphere Project, which distributed the first high resolution, cloud free, accurate image of the earth. He was truly visionary and accomplished.
His family and friends share fond memories of camping on Oak Creek, in the Owens Valley. He threw countless parties in his art studio, where great minds in the Arts and Sciences alike would meet and mingle. Many enjoyed flying enormous kites with him, on Santa Monica beach, attracting onlookers in awe. He was generous, inspiring, eccentric, and will be missed dearly.
He is survived by his son, Ryan, his grandson Kian, loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, and a host of long-time friends. A private memorial service will be held with his family. A larger Celebration of Life, for all those who wish to attend, will be planned in near future. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The World Wildlife Fund.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Los Angeles Times on Mar. 19, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Tom VanSant

6 Entries

Dean Moss

September 15, 2024

What an innovative man, not the easiest of people to work with but he had a dream. Met Tom in 1996, Sweden, our rotating globe at Liseberg in Gothenburg was adorned with The Satellite View from space so the earth. My son was born 2008, i named him Kian. Tom´s grandson also named Kian! How amazing

Andre Pare

April 21, 2024

I would love to honor Tom by enrolling him in the hall of fame at the World Kite Museum in Washington and giving any kite sculptures a forever home in the museum. I remember the wedge shaped dragon kit snaking through three floors of his studio.

Andrè Parè

April 21, 2024

We painted the studio/ home @ Griffith park in 81 I sculpted a tiny boy and dog out of flora near the Japanese garden. Came back months later. He put a huge bell jar over the sculpture. He Presented me with a signed kite book. Wrote that I was a bonafide artist.

Maralee Grantham

September 14, 2023

May flights of angels wing you to your rest. Always such a fine humor. Always a delight to have lunch . I missed you when you flew to Mexico but knew you were happy there. Thank you for allowing me to become a Baha'i in your household dear one. Maralee Grantham

RoseMary Diaz

April 19, 2023

I have been trying to locate Mr. Van Sant for a while as I wanted to express my appreciation for his work, especially "Flying Pair," which was so beautifully suspended from the ceiling of Buffums (Buffums') in Pomona, where my mother and I often shopped when I was a child. I am so sad to learn of his recent passing, and regretful at having missed the chance to personally thank him for creating this sculpture, which has occupied a special place in my heart since my four-year-old self first beheld it more than fifty years ago. Thinking of it now still inspires in me that sense of childhood magic that it did so long ago, and it will continue to occupy a special place in my heart and memory through the years to come. I offer my condolences to Mr. Van Sant's family and would like them to know how profoundly his work has touched my life over all these decades. I would love to know where the sculpture is now, in hopes that I may once again stand before (or under) it. Respectfully, RoseMary Diaz, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Eugene Daub

March 21, 2023

Dear Ryan ,
I moure your loss. I found tom late in life ,but at least got to know him over a 8 year time. He was an inspiration to me and a good friend . I have tried to represent him through articles in the NSS and continue to do so . He was under recognized in the field , he was not a schmuser or a promoter of his work . Only the artists know how talented he was ,and not too many of them left . He always spoke of you lovingly. all best , Eugene
Please resend me your email , i can share with you what I've had printed about Tom .

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