Thomas R. McPhee Sculptor
Biography

Canadian born sculptor Thomas Richard McPhee studied graphic arts at the Kootney School of Art in 1974-75. In 1976 he went to England to study art in the great museums of London and sold his first collection of gemstone carvings there.

Moving back to Canada in 1977, McPhee settled in Vancouver and opened a small studio and attended the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr) studying bronze casting, welding, clay, and painting.  In 1979 he began carving mastodon and mammoth ivory.  In 1982 he returned to carving precious and semi precious gemstones.

In the early 1980’s he developed his own technique for gem carving and since then has become one of the world’s foremost artists in this demanding medium.   The gems carved by McPhee range from the relatively common like quartz and agate to the rare and unique, such as emerald and sapphire.  As a master of classical realism, McPhee combines both figurative and abstract elements in his work that often involves mythological themes and archetypes. The carvings range from small jewellery sized pieces to larger sculptures.

In 1998, McPhee turned his talent to the exploration of casting glass into finely detailed miniature sculptures.  This medium lends itself naturally to McPhee’s style of virtuosic detail.

As an artist/sculptor, Thomas Richard McPhee has gained an international reputation for his unique small-scale sculptures.  His creations are sold to collectors world wide.

Box 294, Salt Spring Island BC, V8K 2V9 Canada  

contact the artist

Thomas R. McPhee  Publishing's

Education:
Graduated from Penticton High School – June 1972
Attended Kootney School of Arts, Nelson, B.C. – 1974/75
Independent Studies in London, England – 1976/77
Attended Vancouver Collage of Art, Vancouver, B.C. – 1977/78

Exhibitions:
1984 – Swedish Jeweller, Vancouver , B.C. Canada
1985 – Secrett Jewellers, Toronto, Ontario Canada
1985 – Karl Stittgen & Goldsmiths, Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver, B.C. Canada
02/1986-99 – Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. (except 1990)
07/1987 – Crystal Congress  with Crystal Spirits , L.A., Calif. U.S.A.
09/1988 – The Reid Gallery, Carmel, Calif. U.S.A.
11/1988 – Yamada Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
11/1989 – Fortunes Jewellers, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
11/1989 – Penner Goldsmiths, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada 
09/1990 – Kashikey & Co., Vancouver, B.C. Canada
05/1992 – Benefit Reception for the American Cancer Society, Orange County, CA
08/1992 – Crystalworks Gallery, Drawing Show ‘Iconographs’ Vancouver, B.C. Canada
10/1992 – Opening of ‘Susan Clark Gallery of Gem Art’   Vancouver, B.C. Canada
05/1993 – Francis Klein, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.
11/1993 – Crystalworks Gallery, ‘Uncommon Light’ with R. Lalique, Vancouver, B.C.
09/1994 – Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
05/1995 – Traditional Jewelers , New Port Beach, California, U.S.A.
09/1995 – Kashikey & Co., Montreal, Quebec, Canada  
09/1994/95 – Denver Gem & Mineral Show, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
12/1996 – Jewellery Arabia, Manama, Bahrain
1985 – 1996 – works on display at ‘Crystalworks Gallery’, Vancouver, B.C. Canada 
1992 – 1997 - works on display at ‘Susan Clark Gallery of Gem Art’ Vancouver, B.C.
08/1998 – Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
10/1999 – Whitt/Krauss, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
02/2000/01 – Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.
04/2000/01/02 – Basel Jewelry  Show, Basel, Switzerland
06/2000 – Las Vegas Gem & Jewelry Show, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.
08/2000/01 -  Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Penn. U.S.A.
10/2001 – Pacific Mineral Museum Gold Show – Vancouver, B.C. Canada – ‘1492’
02/2002 – Tucson Gem & Mineral Show Tucson Convention Centre  – ‘1492’
05/02 – Gemological Institute of America, Carlsbad, California, U.S.A. – ‘1492’
11/02 – Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Penn. – ‘1492’
04/03 – Basel Jewelry  Show, Basel,  Switzerland- kiln cast glass
04/04 – Basel Jewelry Show, Basel,  Switzerland – kiln cast glass
02/05 -  Philadelphia Art Craft Buyers Market, Philadelphia, PA  - kiln cast glass
05/04  -  Rosemary & Thyme, Duncan BC – kiln cast glass
12/04  -  Rosemary & Thyme, Christmas  Show, Duncan BC – kiln cast glass
07/05 – Thunderbird Gallery – Salt Spring Island, BC – Kiln cast glass

Published Articles:
01/1985 – Canadian Jeweller Mag.  ‘Thomas McPhee Gem Carver’
06/1987 – City & Country Home Mag. ‘Thomas McPhee Gemstone Carver’
07/1987 – Crystal Spirits & Co., San Diego, California (brochure)
07/1987 – Western Living Mag. ‘Frontlines’
04/1988 – Canadian Gemologist ‘A Bright Star Rising in the West’ booklet
05/1988 – Jewelers Circular Keystone Mag. ‘Fancy Cuts American Style’
02/1990 – Modern Jeweler Mag. (cover) ‘American Beauties Carved in Stone’
11/1991 – Jewelers Circular Keystone Mag. ‘The Colored Stone Cutting Revolution’
04/1992 – Jewelers Circular Keystone Mag. ‘Gemnotes’
08/1992 – JW Plus Mag. ‘B.C. Sculptor to Carve Fabulous Muzo Emerald’
1992 – Robb Report Mag.
1992 – Café Paradise, Concorde Inflight Mag.
05/1993 – Nine Magazine – back cover –
09/1993 – Lapidary Journal (cover)  ‘Clark Gallery Champions of the Gem Arts’
1994 – Cultural Wealth Brochure  (created award for the Cultural Wealth Fashion Designers)
02/1994 – Lapidary Journal  (cover) ‘Telling Stories in Stone’ by Sharon E. Thompson
12/1994 – Lapidary Journal  ‘Facets’
03/1995 – Coloured Stone -  ‘Gem Carvers Unite’
1994/95 – Canadian Gemological Survey Poster
08/1999 – Lapidary Journal ‘An  Elegant Affair’
11/1999 – Lapidary Journal ‘Facets’
01/2000 – Crystal Galleria  Arte y joya -  Spanish Mag.
Winter 2001 – Gems & Gemology – ‘Voices of the Earth’
02/2002 – The Rotarian Mag. Re Mermaid for the Rotary Marine Park
06/2002 – Crystal Galleria  Arte y joya – Spanish Mag – Pâte de Verre
Summer 2002 – The Loupe – GIA World News  ‘1492’ photo
Summer 2002 – Canadian Event Perspective – CEIA award – ‘Man Behind the Gift’
10/2002 – Lapidary Journal  ‘From Gems to Glass’ Pâte de Verre
11/25/02 – Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Newspaper re Carnegie Museum Show  ‘1492’
11/02  -  Jeweler’s  Circular Keystone Magazine re: Carnegie Museum Show
2003 – GAAC ‘Gemstones to Glass’ upcoming issue (Glass Art Association of Canada)
06/2003   -  Jewelry & Gold Magazine – China – “Mysterious Actualist”  Pâte de Verre

21 part series written by Sharon E. Thompson for Lapidary Journal
1st – 2/1995 – “Building a Gem Carving Workshop”
2nd – 4/1995 – “Care and Creation of Customized Burrs”
3rd – 7/1995 – “Preparing a  Carving Handpiece”
4th – 11/1995 - “Drawing Before Carving”
5th – 2/1996 – “Making a Maquette”
6th – 5/1996 – “Getting a Rough Start”
7th – 9/1996 – “Transferring Your Design”
8th – 8/1997 – “Preparing the Rough”
9th – 2/1998 – “Smoothing Surfaces”
10th – 5/1998 – “Refining the Shape of Your Carving”
11th – 5/2000 – “Taking Gem Carving to the Finish”
12th – 6/2000 – “Creating Musculature in Gem Carving”
13th – 7/2000 – “Creating Feathers in a Gem Carving”
14th – 10/2000 – “Creating Skin Patterns for Gemstone Frogs”
15th – 11/2000 – “Creating Hair and Fur for Gem Carvings”
16th – 12/2000 – “Creating Scales in Gem Carvings”
17th – 1/2001 – “Creating a High Polish in a Gem Carving”
18th – 3/2002 – “Creating a Matte Finish for a Gem Carving”

Donations:
11/1993 – Endeavor Gala, Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, Vancouver, B.C.  “Cat stalking through grass in reverse intaglio quartz crystal” pendant with setting designed by Susan Clark.

1994 – B.C. Apparel Award, Bronze Sculpture of a woman striding with a flowing robe.  For the Cultural Wealth 1994 Fashion Design Award, Victoria, B.C. Canada 

1994 – The Fraser Valley Hunt Ball, Vancouver Hotel, Vancouver, B.C. Canada  “Provenance and Evaluation” Pegasus profile – graphite and  acrylic on masonite  illustration board.

2001 – “Narissa Mermaid”  8 foot mermaid sculpture( on 5 foot base) in cold cast bronze for Rotary Marine Park on Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada 

2004 - JDRF Fundraiser "Rock'n roll for Diabeties” – Kiln cast glass  toad

2005 – JDRF Fundraiser “Rock n roll for Diabeties” -   Stone cast sun plaque

2005  - Tsunami Relief Art Show , Salt Spring Island, B.C. Canada,  3 stone castings.

2005 - Object Design - Tsunami Relief Fundraiser - 2 pâte de verre

 Awards:
1994 – 1st Place AGTA Cutting Edge Award

Noteable Gem Carvings:
“1492” Emerald carving  finished weight – 1550 ct.  - 1992
Kitaa Ruby Carving from Greenland  - 302 ct  True North Gems  2006

Numerous Commissions and worldwide sales

Media Interviews:
CBC Radio Interview with J.J. McCall, 1991
UTV News, 1990 re Crystalworks Gallery
UTV News, July 1992 re: ‘1492’ Emerald Carving
UTV News, October 1992 re: Susan Clark Gallery