The Gallery
TJ Garrels (Tomoose)
In his youth, Thomas Jeffrey Garrels' interest and talent for fine art quickly became evident from his numerous award-winning sketches and paintings. TJ Garrels pursued his formal art training at California State University at Stanislaus. He received a BFA degree with a painting emphasis.
Shortly after graduating, TJ Garrels joined a nonprofit organization that brought radio to third world countries. This work led him around the world, living in some of the most scenic regions of this planet. Many of his later paintings are reflections of these travels. Currently he resides in the United States and his recent works reflect the heart of America, from small towns to our national parks to the wine regions of California. He loves to portray the simplicity of life by emphasizing a calmness and contentment. His use of light in each painting emits a feeling of warmth. He wants for you to feel like you want to be there to experience the place.
"There is something magical about everywhere I've been, from the Congo in Africa to Eastern Europe to the Amazon of South America. I create paintings that allow people to spark their imagination and escape the daily grind of life."
TJ Rose
As a child, you could usually find TJ Rose working on art projects whenever she could be involved. She was surrounded with a family who loved the arts and architecture. Inspired from her parents' talent for architecture and garden design, they gave her the gift of encouragement to express herself artistically. She began her art training at Louisville High School in California, and it was there that she developed a passion for painting. During her senior year of high school, she received a scholarship to the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and attended both Louisville and the Art Center simultaneously. She then began her formal art training at California State University Northridge, where she earned her degrees with an emphasis in studio painting and theatrical set design.
While she worked on her degree, she taught art at Rancho San Antonio, a California probation facility for the youth. From this experience, she saw the importance of therapeutic qualities in art and how it can restore confidence to a young person whose life has been so disrupted and chaotic. Realizing the importance of art, she has become an advocate to bring art education back to our nation's schools. TJ has devoted much of her time encouraging aspiring artists so they, too, can be successful in art with perserverence and courage.
Over the last 25 years, TJ has had the fortunate ability to create and have a successful career from her paintings and Giclées. She currently has her collection displayed at Garrels N Rose Gallery in Virginia City, Nevada. TJ's main emphasis is to create paintings that have a sense of timeless quality. The mediums she primarily uses are oil, watercolor, and pastel, however she often experiments with unusual elements, adding texture to her work. Her ability to be versatile with her work has afforded her hundreds of commissions over the span of her career as a painter. Her paintings and limited edition Giclées can be found in both private and public collections globally.
Her painting titled "Freedom's Angel", created after 9/11, has been printed by her as special 9 x 12 Giclée and is gifted to hundreds of troops, veterans, police, fire, search and rescue personnel and their families serving all over the world. This tribute is a continual rememberance to our nation to never forget how precious our freedom truly is and a genuine "Thank You" for all their hardworking efforts and sacrifices. Please just ask for a print if you are serving or have someone serving in these efforts.
