“O, you painters who seek to know color, study carpets and therein you will find all knowledge.” —Paul Gauguin

Artist Statement

When Thomas Stocker looks at a century old woven rug from Turkey or Persia, he sees a painting. Working in a unique, highly tactile style similar to pointillism, he translates the bold geometry and color of carpets from the language of the loom to the painter's canvas, achieving a Trompe-L'oeil result. While many works are literal interpretations of existing carpets, other works synthesize traditional expressions with themes in contemporary culture and aesthetics.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Thomas Stocker received his BA from the University of Massachusetts and attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, where his teachers were Lux Feininger and Walter Pashko. Later, as an antique dealer, he developed his interest in Oriental rugs which quickly became the focus of his paintings. As an active member of the New England Rug Society, he finds inspiration through lectures and exhibitions of the finest carpets in the world. He has had numerous solo shows in galleries, colleges, and museums throughout New England and is represented in corporate and private collections throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Thomas Stocker has been included in many exhibitions in the Copley Society since becoming a member in 1999. In 2005 he gained representation in New York’s esteemed OK Harris Gallery founded by Ivan Karp. In 2014 Thomas Stocker was awarded “Artist of the Year” by the Cambridge Art Association.