Tom Higgins grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he was introduced to the paintings of Edward Redfield and other Pennsylvania Impressionists. Subsequently, he assimilated influences from a range of artists comprising Constable through Van Gogh and Kokoschka, to the Abstract Expressionists, etc. He graduated cum laude from Maryville College and received his MS and MFA in painting and drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Tom’s dynamic, animated, plein air paintings reflect more than four decades of passionate engagement with the Maine landscape and its place in the history of Maine art. They have been displayed in numerous exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad, including at U.S. embassies in Canada, Hungary, Iceland, Gambia, Greece and France. In recent years Tom was selected for residencies at Acadia National Park and the Joseph A. Fiore Art Center. Among the publications featuring his work are the following: The Art of Maine in Winter; Paintings of Maine; On Wilderness: Voices from Maine; Art of Katahdin; Ripple Effect: Water Stories.
Having taught at Marietta College, Colby College, and in the University of Maine System, Tom retired as Professor Emeritus from the University of Maine at Farmington. He continues to be an outdoor enthusiast and advocate for natural spaces.