Thomas Rebek
Thomas Donald Rebek is an accomplished designer and visual artist. He was born on April 26, 1942, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to parents Carl Paul Rebek, of Slovenian descent, and Frances Elizabeth Dries Rebek of German descent. He graduated from Marquette High School in 1960 then obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the Layton School of Art (currently the Milwaukee School of Art and Design) in 1964. In his senior year he designed and built a chair entirely of aluminum that was entered into the annual Alcoa Scholastic competition in 1964. It won the National Alcoa Design Award in 1964 and is displayed in the archives of the Alcoa Corporation. He was awarded a teaching fellowship to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and completed his Master of Fine Art Degree there in 1966. He went on to teach art and design in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University from 1966 to 1969. Thomas moved to Boston, MA in 1969 and worked as an interior designer for the Sheraton Corporation until 1971. He spent the next 3 years working for the Morris Gordon Company, a small restaurant design and supply firm in Brighton, MA. He left there in 1974 to begin his own interior design and consultation practice in Boston. His expertise was in interior design, space planning and architecture.
Retiring from the design profession in 1986 Thomas pursued his love of art and became an accomplished watercolor painter until the present. He is known for his many outdoor and studio paintings of Boston and New England. His most popular painting is the “Ducklings in the Boston Public Garden.” In New England he was a member of the Copley Society of Artists where he achieved Copley Master status, was past president of the New England Watercolor Society and a distinguished artist of the Concord Art Association. He also maintained membership in the Cambridge Art Association, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society and the Cape Cod Art Association. Residing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida since 2016 Thomas has signature memberships in the Gold Coast Watercolor Society, the Florida Watercolor Society, the Miami Watercolor Society and the Palm Beach Watercolor Society. Nationally Thomas is a member of the American Watercolor Society and the Transparent Watercolor Society and a signature member of the National Watercolor Society. He has won numerous awards in all of these organizations. His artist statement reads “Watercolor is my passion. I approach every painting with a sense of wonderment. Although my paintings have a definite design and structure, I treat the subject matter with playfulness and soul. The strength of color is essential to my work.”
The works featured here are available for purchase directly through the Artist. The Artist makes 100% of the profit of the sale of the artwork, so this is a great time to support them, while enhancing your art collection. The artist will directly pack and ship the product to you.
All works are original and signed by the artist!
For more information on these featured artworks email Thomas @
Tell us more about yourself:
Let’s start with your story, we would like to know about your journey and when you got started?
My journey has been exciting as I pursued my career in art and design at the early age of 14.
What is something you had to put off because of the pandemic that you have recently done or is on your list to do soon? I enjoyed my time during Covid as I was able to produce many watercolor paintings with few interruptions.
What does your art future hold for you?
I have a faithful clientele from Boston and South Florida and my work has been bought by many people form the US and abroad.
Artists are always bombarded by how great it is to pursue their passion etc., but we know from a lot of people that it is not always that easy. Overall would you say things have gotten better for you as an artist in South Florida?
Things have increasingly gotten better for me to do the work and sell it.
As you know I am impressed with your work, tell our readers more for example. What are you most proud of, and what sets you apart from others? Watercolor painting is my passion. I approach every painting with a sense of wonderment. Although my paintings have a definite design and structure
How do you keep motivated? I keep myself motivated by thinking up new approaches to each painting.
Name a famous artist that inspires you and one not yet famous artist you would like the readers to know about. My favorite painters are Janet Fish and Andrew Wyeth.
Is there a current or upcoming show or exhibit you want to let people know about? I’m presently showing my work at the Bona Italian restaurant Aperitivo gallery in Wilton Manors.
How are you giving back to your community? I provide several young artists the area with scholarships.
Let’s end with a fun fact about you. I belong to 5 non profit art associations and give lectures on my artwork
Email address: [email protected]
Website: thomasrebek.com
Facebook: thomasrebek.com
Instagram: thomasrebek.com