S. Thomas Alexander

Alexander, S. Thomas

Tom Alexander, a passionate advocate for African art, died peacefully October 18, 2021, in Portland, Oregon. He was 79. Tom entered the US African art scene at just the right moment. In the 1960s, interest in indigenous art had been growing. While studying studio art at Washington University at St. Louis and working at its art gallery, Tom became fascinated with objects from different cultures. After obtaining his BS degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, he apprenticed with Dr. Roy Sieber, a noted African art scholar, professor of Fine Arts at University of Indiana and later Director of Collections and Research at the National Museum of African Art (Smithsonian).

Tom soon became recognized for his "great eye". He could easily spot a masterpiece among the mediocre, an especially valuable gift for those exploring the aesthetics of non-European art. In 1971, together with Dr. Donald Suggs, Tom opened a gallery specializing in African art and antiquities in Clayton, Missouri. During this period, he often worked with Karl-Heinz Krieg of Neunkirchen, Germany, to locate carvings from Africa, selecting only the finest for his clients. Meanwhile, his clientele expanded to Chicago where he opened an additional gallery and later to New York City where he opened a viewing room just steps from the Metropolitan Art Museum. He frequently traveled to Europe, returning with gems he found in collections there.

In 1977 Tom helped found the Primitive Art Society at the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM). He sponsored local lectures on African studies by Dr. Robert Farris Thompson of Yale University. In 1999 he served as Guest Curator at the Washington University Art Gallery for the exhibit Affinity of Form -

African and Modern European Art. He eagerly welcomed new curators of indigenous art to SLAM and helped them settle into St. Louis.

Tom thrived on music and constantly introduced us to new artists and genres. Any friend of Tom heard frequent tales about his beloved dogs and cats. In 1997, after a long courtship, Tom married Laura Rogers. The wait was well worthwhile, and they became soul mates thereafter. After her retirement, Laura's Oregon roots called them to Portland.

Tom is survived by his wife Laura Rogers, sister Jane Alexander Lewis, nephew Andrew Lewis (Emma), nieces Margie Dominguez (Chris Atwood), Laura Kidd (Chad) and Cindy Townsend plus great nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice or to any of the following which reflect Tom's core values: (a) Saint Louis Art Museum Romare Bearden Fellowship Endowment

https:/www.slam.org/other-ways-to-giveearden-fund/ (with note in Tom's honor), (b) The Pixie Project https://www.pixieproject.org, or (c) Civil Liberties Defense Center https://cldc.org

Services: A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm PT/3:00 CT Saturday, October 30 at First Unitarian Portland, 1011 SW 12th Avenue, Portland OR 97205. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed. Please join early using this link: https://boxcast.tv/view/tom-alexander-memorial-348708.