Miss you Tom and your great talent as a painter

In 1965 l came home from basic training in the army from Ft Knox Kentucky. Tom and l had been friends since my Junior High days at Lincoln High School in 1955. I visited him at his home on Springfield Road in East Rockford near my parents house. He had been my mentor through my high school years and l wanted to see what he was working on. He was recovering from a serious stomach operation at the time. As we talked and exchanged ideas about art and life in general he looked at me and said he wanted to do a portrait of me. In a few minutes he did this portrait of me that l still keep in my possession in my studio in San Francisco. I was always amazed at his ability as an artist. I still hear his voice inside of me as l daily go about my work as a painter even though l am eighty one years old and l cherish this drawing. I neglected to have him sign it and over the years never brought it back to him to be signed.    My name is Dale Erickson and l was a Rockford resident from 1952 to 1960.

My grandparents I believe knew Tom personally… They have since passed away but I came across this poem from what appears to be written by his daughter.. I wanted to share it with you and perhaps if you wanted it for any collection you may have just let me know… 

Benjamin Campbell
Quadmovr1212@gmail.com

So glad I purchased one of his works! Such talent!
condolences to his family.
Jacqueline B. Ryan 

To the family of Tom. My Uncle Charles White was road commissioner in the township where he had his studio. Uncle Chuck would plow the driveway of the lane leading to the farmhouse in winter. One day, he found a copy of Quiet Places on the seat of his vehicle, a gift of a returned favor. Sometimes my Mom, Irene White, would visit Tom their at the studio to have him sign the Rockford Junior League cookbook that he illustrated. She bought a copy for each of her nine children, and he graciously signed each. She and my Uncle enjoyed their visits and spoke of him often. I think they missed him when he no longer worked out of the country studio  but I recall I went with them to one of Tom's open houses at his Rockford home studio and acquired several pieces of his art there. Mom died in 2010 and I wrote to Tom to let him know. I was surprised a couple of weeks later when his 2nd book arrived in a package one day at my door, and a kind note he'd written. I already had Quiet Places, which Mom had gotten me for my birthday one year and she had it signed by him as well. She loved visiting him with a book to sign.  And with nine children, she bought quite a few!  My Uncle is still on the farm near Lena and is 88 years old as well. He was saddened to hear of the loss of Tom, as am I.  He was a great man. 

All of my memories of Tom and his family are good. Among them however one does stand out. We talked about our love for fishing and I asked about how to fillet a bass and he said to come see him when I caught some again. So one October ( I think) I was fishing at a nearby lake and caught three huge bass. I called him and he said to come on over to his place. When I arrived the door opened and there he stood knife in hand wearing a tuxedo or suit. Unknown to me it was the night of his annual home gallery event where he hosted potential customers at his lovely home. But nevertheless he not only showed me how to fillet one, he watched me do the other two and even had the plastic bags for the fillets. Although I didn't have enough money to purchase any of his art I felt rich in having a friend (and father figure) who showed me such generosity and caring.

The world is a lesser place without him and a better place because of him. My name is Mark Fritzen and my life is greatly enriched because I knew Tom Heflin and his wonderful family.  

My name is Dale Erickson I am an eighty year old artist who has been living in San Francisco, California since 1969. As a teenager living on St. Louis Av at Charles St in the 1950s we lived across the alleyway from the back entrance of Shostrom Sign Company. As a budding young artist of 15 years old l met Tom who was then working for Shostrom. We became good friends even though he was eight years older than me. At the time l was painting more from my imagination He had a great influence on my young mind in that he grounded my work in realism a realism that is typically American in that it went back to the strong tradition of Homer, Inness, Eakins and the 1930s work of Curry and Grant Wood. Every day l would bring my recent attempt at painting to show him while was working on signage for the side of a truck or a layout for a larger billboard. Adolf Shostrom and Tom were extremely patient of you youthful attempts insecurities. He was a harsh critic praising me when l did something that he approved of and at other times telling me to completely paint over the image. We would go out together on painting trips by the Rock River. I was amazed at what talent he had to capture a scene on canvas in a few hours of work. I introduced Tom to Prof Philip Dedrick who also admired Toms work.  We all would at times get together and talk about art and being as young as l was a lot of it went over my compression. As the time went on Tom and l often butted heads over art, politics and life in general. I went on to school,at the Art Institute of Chicago and brought back ideas about art that he totally disagreed with. It wasn’t an easy time for either one of us l was getting drafted into the military and he was having health problems and family problems. Looking back on the situation l could have been mor empathic to his life problems but l was going through my own set of problems. After l came to California l lost touch with him but returned to thank him for all he did for me.

We have several of his paintings, printed many of his signed copies at our printing company.  We shared emailed just weeks ago about his painting “prayer meeting”, where I reminded him that he probably gave his life to the Lord at one of those Pentecostal meetings as a young man.   Little did he nor I know God was soon taking him home. 

I met Tom a couple of years ago.  I messaged him about a print. He let me come out to his studio to pick it up. I was surprised that he showed me around and wanted to talk without feeling like I was a bother. Whenever I complemented his work he always replied. One time I asked him about a particular painting not realizing the price tag. I was embarrassed at first. But he was kind and was again as nice as can be. I think he genuinely loved people's interest in his work. I'm so glad I got to meet him.  I have his book with a written note. I will treasure it. 
Kristy ❤️ 

I am so sorry to all of the Heflin family, Tom was a wonderful man who loved his family more than any thing on earth. He was such a kind and gentle person was always upbeat and positive,He will be missed by all who knew him .

Tom was the best. I met him twenty years ago at an art show and did the framing for his art the last two years. I like how he never lost the southern gentleman part of his personality. A long and well lived life. I will think of him whenever we go to Severson Dells.

I had the privilege of meeting Tom Heflin on multiple occasions, but the memory that sticks out the most is when he came down to Georgia to visit his son and grandson, and I was lucky enough to join them for a dinner. Mr. Heflin always in style: shades on, shirt tucked into his pants, very dapper; even in our fancy establishment that night: The Tilted Kilt. We watched the UFC fight together, a memory I will always hold onto. 

In lieu of flowers, I made a donation to the Rockford Art Museum in honor of the brilliant Tom Heflin in this life, May he rest in peace and continue to create in the next life.

OBITUARY

Tom Heflin

July 18, 1934 – April 29, 2023

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