After a career in electronics and avionics as a technician in the Royal Air Force, based mostly in Lincolnshire, Tom moved into work as a technical author for GEC-Marconi, writing and illustrating technical manuals for their radar equipments.

Tom then worked as a Publicity and Publications Manager for an industrial instrumentation company where, as well as writing and illustrating technical manuals for their products, took on many more promotional activities such as designing sales brochures, support literature and exhibition panels. This work on media advertising led to Tom working in the USA for short periods working from the company's US advertising agency. During this time Tom travelled extensively, visiting Germany, Italy, France, Spain and China, promoting the company's 'high tech' products.

Tom then moved to Ireland where he stayed for 10 years, having the time to take up his life-long interest in painting, and he began to produce more of his own work. Tom was the 'artist-in-residence' for 12 months at the Frenchpark Courthouse Gallery in Roscommon (Dun Gar) where he took commissions from visitors and sold his own works.

While in Frenchpark, Tom worked with a local tourist group designing and illustrating brochures and exhibition stands for promotional events in Ireland and England. he also wrote and directed a promotional video featuring some of his paintings, for the Shannon-Erne Waterway Company.

Tom developed an interest in Celtic Folklore and Mythology and his paintings began to reflect this growing interest. He exhibited at a solo show in the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre in Dublin, and began to research the origins of Celtic mythology in the museums and archives of Dublin. During this time, Tom was influenced by the stained glass work of Harry Clarke and spent much time tracking down this artists work in stained glass windows in church buildings throughout the island of Ireland. In more recent times, Tom has found and photographed his windows in places as far afield as Brisbane, Australia and in Florida, USA. Harry Clarke and his work has been an inspirational influence on Tom.

Returning to England and Lincolnshire, Tom became a member of an open studio organisation called 'Art on the Map' and continued to work on Celtic topics with the occasional foray into more contemporary topics. Much of his work is in gouache on card since this medium lends itself well to the Celtic theme. Tom also works in oils on canvas and in acrylics on board.