Artist Profile

www.thomasdeir.comThomas Deir

“The meaning of life is to find meaning in life” December 17,1989 was a turning point in the life of Kailua resident Thomas Deir. On that day, he created his first painting on canvas. At the time, he was 26 years old. Two years later, he was the top-selling artist in a Waikiki gallery, selling originals for $10,000 and more.

Deir, an American of Japanese-English-Irish ancestry who was born in Queens, New York (where his father was born and raised), moved to Hawaii (where his mother was born and raised) at the age of three and was raised in Kailua, where he has lived since he was seven. His mother Lillian and his father Thomas Sr. met in the U.S. Navy and had three children – Thomas Jr., Kathleen, and Kevin.

It was during the research and development of Genesis Artist Colors that Thomas quickly became skilled at painting under John Pitre’s guidance. He started like many artists in Hawaii do; selling his first originals on the “Zoo Fence” in Waikiki. While maintaining his tile mural commissions, he entered the world of fine art by being accepted into several art galleries in Waikiki, Maui, and Kauai. Within 3 months Deir was the lead selling artist in 3 Waikiki galleries, gaining the most recognition for his most inspired work to date, “Christ of the Deep”.

It was this painting that caught the eye of Dr. Robert Rines, inventor of high definition sonar, which made the invention of the ultrasound technology possible. In 1994 Mr. Rines commissioned Thomas to do a $100,000 painting for the USA Inventor’s Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio of the famed Nessie, or Lochness Monster. “Nessie Lives!” is the only painting in our National Inventor’s Hall of Fame.

Just recently in May 2008, Deir completed the most difficult tile mural he has ever done - a shower bath reef scene for E Bay founder Pierre Omidyar.