About and Studio Updates 2020-05-31T23:00:00Z Copyright (c) 2026, Tom Estlack: Art and Music Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contact https://www.estlack.com/images/estlack_icon-pink-32.png https://www.estlack.com/Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-painted_janus2020-05-31T23:00:00Z2020-05-31T23:00:00Z

This sculpture is part of a piece called Enantiodromia: Janus on the Half Pipe. I was never satisfied with how this element came together. Initially, I started a slush cast, intending to clean debris out of the mold. However, I had so many other things going on in preparation for an exhibition that ...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-sculpting_with_chavant_nsp_clay2018-11-03T23:00:00Z2018-11-03T23:00:00Z

I want to share with you some techniques for working with non-sulfurated plasticine clay. It doesn't have sulfur. So "NSP," the S stands for sulfur. The whole idea is that you want to avoid sulfur being a part of your working process because it's a chemical that doesn't cooperate very well with sili...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-artist_bio2018-04-22T00:00:00Z2018-04-22T00:00:00Z

Tom Estlack is known for his interactive, kinetic, and musical sculptures. Described as a "polymath" and "synesthete," he integrates video, electronics, simple machines, lighting, painting, music, animation, and figurative sculpture into his studio practice. Tom's art "connects directly to the multi...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-transcript_for_advice_for_young_executives2017-02-28T23:00:00Z2017-02-28T23:00:00Z

Congratulations! You have an office in the sky. You have legions of worker bees, drones, who will execute your genius plans all day long. No need to read the important documents that are placed on your desk. Have the secretary summarize the important points for you in the form of bullets! Bullets ar...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-great_music_together2017-01-17T23:00:00Z2017-01-17T23:00:00Z

I recently decided to leave Ishtar, a middle-eastern belly-dance band I worked with for the past 3 or 4 years. This decision was a difficult one, but one I needed to make. In August of 2017, I have a solo exhibition planned at Nutting Gallery at West Liberty University. The show would mark the end o...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-armageddon_2112_part_12016-09-29T00:00:00Z2016-09-29T00:00:00Z

"Armageddon 2112" is a film project that began in 1997. It seems to be manifesting with no end in sight. This project has gone through a number of iterations; from a sound installation, to a crude script, it existed as a super-8 film, it was a video element in a sculptural installation. Finally It s...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-application_and_removal_of_gelatin_prosthetics2016-09-16T23:00:00Z2016-09-16T23:00:00Z

Thanks for stopping by. This demo is a follow-up to a prosthetic makeup workshop. Here, you will find a tutorial on applying, color, and removing prosthetic gelatin makeup appliances using professional special effects (SFX) materials. There are numerous places on the internet where you can learn how...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-about_baby_index_107_562016-05-10T23:00:00Z2016-05-10T23:00:00Z

This work began as an exploration of photographic color relationships. It is a continuation of a painting process I have referred to as stealing color. I've made quite a few paintings incorporating this process. A photograph is taken of any subject. A GIF image is then made from it and then pushed t...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-janus_bust2016-04-16T23:00:00Z2016-04-16T23:00:00Z

I became interested in this symbol. The Roman god "Janus" represents transitions or 'thresholds.' I first used this image in a sculpture called Test Subject 3. Upon investigating the symbol further, I found out that there are associations with Janus's temple and its gates being open during times of ...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-ishtar___middle_eastern_bellydance_music2016-03-18T23:00:00Z2016-03-18T23:00:00Z

Recently, much of my involvement as a guitarist has been in playing with a band called Ishtar, a middle-eastern Bellydance band based in Pittsburgh. We have been playing these traditional dance songs with a kind of Americanized heavy-rock sound. It's been called "Metal-Eastern" sometimes. I began wo...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-about_codorus_creek_detritus2015-12-17T23:00:00Z2015-12-17T23:00:00Z

"Codorus Creek Detritus" is an example of interactive sculpture. Interactive sculpture engages a person's consciousness in a way that is a bit different from works of art that exist in other formats. These works of art are very similar to toys. The dialectics between "viewer" and "artwork" are simil...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-istanburgh2015-11-10T23:00:00Z2015-11-10T23:00:00Z

I have been busy with Ishtar, playing Bellydance festivals, and at other performances and venues. We also released a recording of many of these songs that we play. Melissa has been tirelessly promoting the music, directing new songs, and getting us out there to play this great music. I hope you enjo...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-making_interactive_parts2015-09-30T23:00:00Z2015-09-30T23:00:00Z

I've had it with my improvised approach to interactive sculpture. I am wanting to get back into doing some work with deliberately interactive features. This process requires more engineering. As of right now, I am developing a way to cast roller bearings and gears on an as-needed basis. Doing this w...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-obama_sculpture2015-08-12T00:00:00Z2015-08-12T00:00:00Z

I have begun making portrait caricatures of 20th and 21st century U.S. presidents in preparation for an interactive/kinetic sculpture installation. Initially, I was interested in exploring the "Earth Mother" archetypes and the exploitative nature of contemporary governments. I am also interested in...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-interactive_classroom2015-05-13T23:00:00Z2015-05-13T23:00:00Z

This painting grew from my concern over digital media and its inclusion in the classroom to reach a wider range of students. I first became aware of the "interactive classroom" (as it was called) in the early '90s. The "interactive classroom" was a pilot program in public schools. During a time when...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-some_notes_on_a_painting_process2014-12-10T23:00:00Z2014-12-10T23:00:00Z

If you're an artist, perhaps you're as obsessive about color as I am. Maybe you're even more obsessive! What follows is a description of some of the decision-making processes that led me to develop a free online application that helps artists analyze colors so that they can be methodically mixed. It...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-long_lost_friend2014-10-06T23:00:00Z2014-10-06T23:00:00Z

My new recording is called "Long Lost Friend." It's a collection of music from different artworks included in various exhibitions over the past few years. My work is centered around bringing a person who is a participant or a listener or a viewer into the mindset of connectivity. I make art that is ...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-zombie_goggles2014-10-01T23:00:00Z2014-10-01T23:00:00Z

Recently I was asked how these goggles (from Advice for Young Executives) were made. I said I would provide some kind of information on here about them. I used to teach, so I habitually go into excessive detail about whatever the topic might be. But I'll try to keep this as simple as possible. The...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-witch_makeup2013-07-31T23:00:00Z2013-07-31T23:00:00Z

The images here are sculptures for a witch prosthetic. It's being repurposed for use in a video installation piece. Here also are some shots of details and textures on this makeup. It has since been sectioned, and molds have been made. I had to shelf this one to focus on some other things lately. Bu...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-billy_2_process2012-07-10T23:00:00Z2012-07-10T23:00:00Z

Testing out a theory I had about the texture and surface of a prop used in the film "Alien." This version of Billy the Test Subject is an Ultracal 30 shell cast with gray acrylic paint and acrylic matte medium layered one over the other. Then polyurethane over that. On top of that is my wax formula ...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-aspects_of_late_postmodernism2009-12-01T23:00:00Z2009-12-01T23:00:00Z

There have been many attempts to describe or categorize a seemingly evident paradigm shift in Arts, Culture, and Society, which has moved beyond the category of "postmodern." Some authors have described early postmodern works of Art (for example), as being indecipherable for different reasons (Susan...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-brain_of_the_city2009-07-08T23:00:00Z2009-07-08T23:00:00Z

I have been developing "construction systems" for the assembly of works using the same parts. The sculpture, currently on display, is a recent incarnation of this concept. Throughout the year, I make castings of joints, which have been molded from a pattern. I also cut pieces of conduit and manufact...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-about_populace_fragments2009-07-07T23:00:00Z2009-07-07T23:00:00Z

At the time of this writing, "Populace Fragments," a sculpture comprised of aluminum, resin, wood, and some paper assemblage, is on view at the Carnegie Museum of Art. The work is included as part of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh 99th Annual Exhibition. Doryun Chong curated the show. I hav...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/about_writing-yes_thank_you___curatorial_statement2008-12-31T23:00:00Z2008-12-31T23:00:00Z

"Yes. Thank You." is from a series of breathing meditations by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. "Yes. Thank You" is the first in the series of breathing meditations, where the practitioner will inhale and say "Yes," to what life has to offer. Upon breathing out, the practitioner says, "Thank You," affirm...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-pterodactyls_in_times_square2007-12-12T23:00:00Z2007-12-12T23:00:00Z

Erin Barbour, the composer, initiated the collaboration on this piece. The original score was sent to me, along with subsequent revisions, during the writing process, and I would upload sample renders of animation sequences and still frame sketches online. The whole collaboration was done online and...

Tom Estlacktom@estlack.comhttps://www.estlack.com/contacthttps://www.estlack.com/studio-synesthesia_12007-10-09T23:00:00Z2007-10-09T23:00:00Z

"Synesthesia" pieces are often musical-film works conceived with a focus on the senses of sight and sound. These works can be performed only by individuals who are practiced in the visual and musical arts. These images are examples of performances, rehearsals, and installations of synesthesia works...