‘More than just an art gallery’: Artist Thomas Andrew Findlay opens Homewood storefront for art, classes, events

Birmingham painter Thomas Andrew Findlay hosted a grand opening for his new gallery and studio, Thomas Andrew Art, in Homewood in December.

While Findlay will display his work and that of other artists, he doesn’t want to run a typical commercial space.

“I want to do something more than just an art gallery,” he said.

Findlay and other artists are hosting numerous classes and workshops in the gallery, which is located at 1925 29th Ave. S.

Findlay is also creating lots of special programming, including events that allow art lovers and others to have a great time in the gallery while exploring their own creativity and making original works of art.

“We want to find different things to do that nobody else in Birmingham is offering,” Findlay said.

A self-taught painter, Findlay was born in Miami in 1967 and earned a degree in computer graphics at Auburn University in 1990.

He served as the art director for a company in South Carolina for several years before becoming an entrepreneur and running several businesses.

In 2004, Findlay became a full-time professional artist. The first gallerist to represent Findlay was Jim Smith at Art Alley in Edgewood.

At Smith’s suggestion, Findlay began painting angels, a series which became very successful. He later began painting landscapes, including a popular series of landscapes with red trees.

“When I started painting red trees I started making a really good living,” he said.

His work has been collected by collectors and corporations in the United States and Canada, and he has sold his work through galleries, stores and decorators in such cities as Denver, Dallas, Miami and Kansas City.

Findlay had several reasons for opening his storefront. He has traveled a lot, attending as many as 15 art shows a year around the country. “As I get older I want to stay close to home,” he said.

Opening a storefront lends some credibility and exposure to Findlay and his work, he said.

It’s also easier to host clients at the gallery rather than at his home in Mountain Brook. He is using the space in many creative ways to draw people in.

Customers can walk in anytime and paint pre-drawn images, and artists can rent easels to paint in the gallery during regular hours.

There are individual and group painting lessons and other workshops. “I’m inviting artists I know personally to come in and teach what they do well,” Findlay said.

There are private paint parties for children and adults, and the facility has a paint splatter booth.

Findlay has hosted such special events as a couples paint party on Valentine’s Day.

On New Year’s Eve, the gallery hosted Birmingham’s first-ever “art battle,” in which eight artists with blank canvases created works on the spot and were judged by attendees for a cash prize.

Mural painting for groups is his most popular event so far, said Findlay.

The groups have included corporations, nonprofits, churches, wedding parties and bridal showers, he said.

“Nobody else is doing this in Birmingham yet,” he said.

The gallery will also host camps for children in different age groups from June 1 through July 31.

Findlay is very happy with his location. Homewood is “kind of the center of the city,” he said, noting its close proximity to Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and Birmingham.

He also said he’s pleased to be located next door to Liz Lane Gallery, owned by the popular local painter.

Thomas Andrew Art features three other artists in addition to Findlay. “I’m slowly going to add people to the list,” he said. “It will be a select group.”

The facility, which is 2,200 square feet, is also available to rent for private functions.

For details, call 205-504-3412 or go to thomasandrewart.com.