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A Conversation with Tom Jennerwien By John Tolmie I walk down to a large wooden outbuilding nestled at the bottom of a rolling grassy hill and knock at the door. A handsomely fit gentleman with a friendly smile silhouetted by a white mustache greets me with a firm handshake and invites me into his studio. Tom Jennerwein’s smiling eyes peak over his spectacles as he laughs, “Please excuse the mess! It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to organize, but this is where the magic happens!” His words drift a bit as I take in the eclectic surroundings. Two easels display ongoing works, stacks of masterpieces are piled in haphazard mounds, paint brushes and various mediums clutter the desks and fascinating set-props dot the walls of the interior. As I take in the studio I ask what guided
him to the artist’s life. “I used to watch my grandfather paint when I was 3 or 4 years old. It was mesmerizing! I loved the smell of turpentine and paint! ” Tom recalls, “He would exhibit in Washington D.C. when I was a kid and even donated many of his works to the Smithsonian.” At an early age it was instilled in Tom that being a professional artist wasn’t a far reaching goal and he was encouraged to start painting in his teens; a passion that he has dedicated himself to for the past forty years. He joined the Air Force out of high school and served as a lineman for four years during the Vietnam era. He then served five years in the Army reserves as a nurse and has continued on in the medical profession
ever since. “Painting is my greatest therapeutic outlet. The line of work that I do as a nurse is critical to life. Most patients that I see have a procedure done, and most go well, but then
