Thomas Arthur Hamil

1928 - 2022

Thomas Arthur Hamil
April 6, 1928 - July 26, 2022
"I am a man who paints. Colors are the notes with which I play my music-honky-tonk, jazz, blues, salsa, classical-expressing the rituals, fiestas, carnivals, in this, the circus of my life. I do not paint what I see; merely, I paint who I am".
Thomas Arthur Hamil was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1928 to Julie Florence and Arthur Charles Hamil, in a home birth at their tiny apartment. The family eventually permanently moved to Northern California. Tom Hamil always loved to draw as a young boy, and it was a main pastime for him as the country came out of the Great Depression. He graduated from Balboa High School and then attended the San Francisco City College in 1946. He then joined the U.S. Navy and was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis where he attended from 1948 - 1952. During his time in the Navy, he was assigned to submarine duty and on the USS Missouri. While at the U.S. Naval Academy, he received recognition for his paintings, drawings, and illustrations. Hamil returned to California to begin his formal art training at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco (now known as the San Francisco Art Institute). He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of San Francisco in 1954. He continued his education at the University of Washington earning a Master of Fine Arts in 1967 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1970.
Hamil's first solo exhibition was held in 1956, at the Artist's Cooperative Gallery in San Francisco. During his lifetime Hamil was featured in over 30 solo shows and exhibitions, and over 50 group shows throughout the United States and Mexico. Tom Hamil's life was absolutely filled with brilliant moments, which manifested in art using many forms and mediums including watercolor, oil, sculpture, and mixed media. He lived life to the fullest, always with a cup of black coffee nearby. Hamil was able to capture the colorful adventures and passions of society he viewed and experienced and turn them into usually two-dimensional art that portrayed energy, movement, and emotion. And while Hamil's life as an artist will in part be defined by his work and the thousands of paintings he created; this was only a fraction of the man himself. Tom Hamil strove for truth, importance, and accuracy in all that he did, he believed strongly in peace, equity, and fairness, and worked each day to be the best man, and painter, that he could be.
In addition to his painting, Hamil authored and illustrated two children's books, and illustrated 10 books for other authors. The first book he illustrated was Ploob, A Midshipman's First Year at Annapolis which was published in 1949 while he was still in the U.S. Navy. He also wrote and published many articles. Listed among Hamil's many awards and honors are a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1958, and an Award of Excellence from the American Graphics Society in 1959, and a First Peace Prize, Brussels, Belgium in 1960 for his book titled Brother Alonzo. Hamil was named an Outstanding Educator in 1975, and Who's Who in the East in 1978.
Tom Hamil was also active in the performing arts and starting in the late 1950's was cast in dozens of community theater productions in San Francisco, Detroit, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and other locations. After moving to the Los Angeles area in the early 1980's, Hamil also was cast in supporting roles in several feature films and television productions including Cavegirl in 1985, and Moonstalker in 1989.
Tom Hamil's teaching career spanned multiple U.S. locations including California, Washington, Michigan, and Maine. His first teaching job was 5th Grade at River Elementary School, in Carmel, CA. Hamil taught undergraduate and graduate level courses at Wayne State University, University of Maine at Orono, University of Maine at Presque Isle, and American University in Los Angeles, CA. Hamil founded the Upland Hills Farm School in Michigan in 1971, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. He taught Fifth Grade at Branciforte Elementary, in Santa Cruz, CA. He also was the chief administrator/principal at Balch Elementary School in Detroit, MI, and Alternative Schools 1 & 2 in Seattle, WA.
He spent the last several years in San Leandro, CA. He passed away peacefully at home on his own terms, surrounded by family.
Hamil is survived by his loving wife Linette Reilly-Hamil, sister Joan Margaret Hamil, brother Lawrence Charles Hamil. He leaves behind his sons Sean Cortland Hamil (Lisa), David Patrick Hamil (Suzanne), and daughters Kennon Joan Hamil, Heather Lee Young (Gary), Roberta Allison Tupper (Thomas), all from his first marriage. Tragically, in 2017 he lost his youngest son Matthew Thomas Hamil (Hannah). Hamil is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and 9 grandchildren (Jason, Jacob, Wakinyan, Tokahe, Caden, Donovan, Ella, Ava, and Piper). He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Florence Jean Hamil, and his brothers Arthur Charles Hamil (June), Robert Thomas Hamil (Gayle), John Courtland Hamil (Ann).
Tom Hamil will be forever loved and missed by his family and his friends. The grief we feel is profound, and beyond words. Private services will be held in Pacific Grove, CA and Santa Cruz, CA.