Thomas Saunders Prentiss (American, 1926-1997) was a still life painter, muralist and scientific illustrator known for his trompe l’oeil style. He was born on September 13, 1926 in Buffalo, NY to newspaper editor, Nelson Hawley Prentiss (1901-1984) and Esther J. (née Saunders) Prentiss (1904-1984) who were married on September 5, 1925 in Buffalo, NY, and he had a younger brother, Nelson H. Prentiss, Jr. (1927-2012). Prentiss’ artistic talents were recognized early on with numerous small cash prizes ($1-$5) while still a teenager, through various Clubs’ coloring and drawing contests featured in the Buffalo Evening News and the Buffalo Courier-Express in the early 1940s. Other early works were exhibited at the Art Institute of Buffalo in 1941 and the Buffalo Museum of Science through the Honorary Nature Sketching Hobby Club in their “13th Annual Art Exhibition” in 1942.
Prentiss graduated from Williamsville High School where he won a scholarship to study at the Carnegie Institute of Fine Arts in Pittsburgh, PA, though his studies were interrupted by serving in WWII. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on May 31, 1944 and was sent to Ft. Dix, New Jersey on October 13, 1944 for the Hawaii Department. He later served in the European Theatre as part of the infantry and tank-destroyer battalion. During the war, he studied art in Germany as well as began studies at the Art Institute of Buffalo while on furlough. After the war, he attended the Albright Art School in Buffalo (1946-1947), and apprenticed with Italian painter, Corrado Cagli (Italian, 1947-1949) and later studied at the Art Students’ League in New York City (1949-1950). While in New York, he also maintained a commercial studio, working as a muralist and painter.
He primarily painted trompe l’oeil still lifes, using realistic imagery to create the illusion of 3-D subjects. His mediums included oil, tempera, ink, goldpoint, silverpoint and pencil. He was a member of the Patteran Society of Buffalo and art exhibitions included: Solo shows at the Durlacher Brothers Gallery in NYC in 1954 and 1957, where he sold 18 of 19 paintings. He also exhibited in several annual “Western New York” art exhibits at the Albright Art Gallery (1949; $100 Wm. Hengerer Prize 1952; Kittinger prize, 1953; Junior League Prize $50, 1954), Patteran Society of Buffalo exhibits (1954 & 1960), the Rhode Island School of Design (1955), the Corcoran Gallery biannual exhibition (1959), the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts annual exhibition (1962), and the Whitney Museum of American Art (1962) where his goldpoint drawing was acquired for their permanent collection through the Ford Foundation Purchase Program.
As a self-trained scientific illustrator, Prentiss did numerous works from 1960 on, for publications like Scientific American and Art News. He exhibited botanical illustrations at the “4th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration” from 1977-1978. Thomas Prentiss settled in Oakdale, Islip, NY, and died on March 31, 1997 at the age of 70.
Awards/Honors: Scholarship to study at the Carnegie Institute of Fine Arts in Pittsburgh, PA, but his attendance was immediately interrupted due to WWII, 1944; Several Prizes at the annual “Western New York” art exhibits held at the Albright Art Gallery (1949; $100 Wm. Hengerer Prize 1952; Kittinger prize, 1953; Junior League Prize $50, 1954); Whitney Museum of American Art Purchase Prize, goldpoint drawing “Skull of a Rabbit” (1961) acquired for their permanent collection through the Ford Foundation Purchase Program, 1962.
Memberships/Associations: Patteran Society, Buffalo, NY; Buffalo Museum of Science Junior Activity Group, the Saturday Honorary Nature Sketching Hobby Club, Buffalo, NY; Jolly Junior Sunshine Club, Buffalo, NY.
Museum Collections: “Skull of a Rabbit” 1961, goldpoint, Whitney Museum of American Art through the Ford Foundation Purchase Program, 1962.
(Compiled & written by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY, meibohmfinearts.com.)
