Interior Scene (1965)

Tom Van Sant was a prominent American painter, sculptor and educator with a career spanning more than five decades. He was known for his public sculptures and architectural commissions, as well as contributions to Earth Sciences and environmental advocacy.

Studying at Stanford and then the Otis Art Institute, Van Sant came to the art world’s attention through the 1950’s for his scenic watercolours of Mexico and California alongside artist and mentor, Millard Sheets (1907-1989). He pioneered novel fabrication techniques in concrete mural casting and completed more than 60 public murals and sculptures. His work has been exhibited in more than 15 solo shows around the world.

In 1989, he co-founded Eyes on Earth, a non-profit corporation focused on environmental issues, and shortly thereafter created the Geosphere Project, which distributed the first high resolution, cloud free, accurate image of the earth.