A native of Chicago, Tom Monaghan has been inspired by the lakes and valleys of Sonoma County since his move over twenty years ago. He holds a B.A. in Visual Communications and an M.F.A in Fine Arts from the University of Northern Illinois. A plein air tonalist painter to this day, he roams the luminous landscapes of the area capturing them with deliberately applied layered glazes. Monaghan has been recognized both in the Bay Area and Internationally, most recently receiving first place in the Napa Valley Mustard Festival 2010. His work is in public and private collections throughout the world, such as Merrill Lynch, The Prudential and Oprah Winfrey (Harpo Studios).
