(1945 - ) Born in Oklahoma, Palmore’s education and art training occurred at several institutions, concluding with the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia in 1969. For more than 35 years, Tom Palmore has painted animal portraits with thoughtfulness and compassion for his subject and a masterful technical prowess. His photo-realist portraits of animals offer a unique and often comical juxtaposition of technical literalism and surreal narrative. The artist likes to imagine that if animals could commission their own portraits, that these would be their chosen settings. Palmore paints large-scale, bold animal portraits with reverence and tenderness. Art viewers feel that his subjects are almost available to touch. The only aspect which breaks the trompe l'oeil illusion is the backdrop of the uncanny scene - such as a portrait of a cat set against bird wallpaper, or a frog poised in front of butterfly wallpaper.*