Capturing Moments

By Keira Silver | Photos Courtesy of Tom Betts

For artist Tom Betts, focusing his art on hyperrealism means preserving exact moments from life. Merging photo references and still lifes to create paintings realistic to photographs, he demonstrates various tones within. It seems that his paintings give the impression that they can move, showcasing the presence of life. “To be able to get to that level of detail is just incredible,” he says.

In a year, he creates about 12 paintings. Each of his subjects in a painting is a metaphor for himself and the philosophical idea of having a sense of wonder. When working in his studio, painting at night, Betts controls the lighting for a focused environment. He divides the colors on his palette into horizontal lines of paint dots representing one night of work.

One series on display features a hyperrealistic Mickey Mouse. Titled “Park Night,” it portrays the character during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of the famous theme park. Inspired by the joy that Disney provides young people, Betts highlighted the pride of Southern California. He wished to preserve the memory of the place he enjoyed.

His current series in production, “Oceanside Series,” consists of a teacup sitting among rippling water. He presents the floating teacups in the Great Salt Lake. It parallels the notion of where he will float next in life. “There’s so much complexity in one single moment in time that, for me, it expands my mind, calms me, and takes me to that place that’s really just unique,” he says.

Originally from Utah, Betts studied painting and drawing at the University of Utah. He taught at his alma mater, Laguna College of Art and Design, and at Santa Ana College. His paintings are represented by galleries in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Park City, Utah, and London, England.

For more information, visit tombetts.com.