Tom Van Sant Biography
TOM VAN SANT, M.F.A.
1931 Born Los Angeles, California
1953 B. A. Stanford University
1953 to1955  United States Marine Corps, Korea and Japan
1957 M.F.A. Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County
1959 Faculty of Otis College of Art and Design (formerly Otis Art Institute)
1975 Founder, Tom Van Sant, Inc, Art and Design
1989 Founder, Eyes On Earth, a California non-profit education corporation
1990 Founder, The GeoSphereTM Project, a California corporation for the development of advanced global and environmental display systems
1991 M.A. Goddard College, Environmental Arts and Sciences

 

 
  • Fellow, MIT, Center for Advanced Visual Studies
  • Founding Director, Los Angeles Mural Conservancy
  • Board of Advisors, The International Museum of 20th Century Arts
  • Board of Advisors, Artists Equity Association
  • Instructor, Santa Monica College Community Division
  • Art Advisory Committee, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

Van Sant is a sculptor, painter, and conceptual artist. In thirty five years of professional work he has executed over sixty major sculpture and mural commissions for public spaces around the world. These include the international airports of Honolulu, Taipei and Los Angeles, the civic centers of Los Angeles, Newport Beach and Inglewood, and corporate centers in Taiwan, Manila, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Honolulu and San Francisco. Van Sant has had fifteen one-man exhibits in the United States, Europe and Australia. His art is represented in public and private collections throughout the world.

Van Sants' professional skills and intellectual interests range to architectural design, city planning, art education and advanced technical invention. His large scale conceptual art projects of the 1980's led to the creation of The GeoSphere Project, an ambitions environmental display system designed to illustrate the issues of Earth resource management.

MURAL AND SCULPTURE COMMISSIONS
1956 RETAIL CLERKS UNION, Los Angeles, California. "Union Union":   mural, oil on canvas. Open competition among graduate art students, Los Angeles and  vicinity.
1957  OTIS-PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN, Los Angeles, California. "Fire, Earth and Water": mural, Italian glass mosaic, 300 square feet. Master's Thesis for MFA degree.
1958 MERCANTILE NATIONAL BANK, Dallas, Texas. "New World Conquest": mural, two walls, 400 square feet, Italian glass mosaic and intarsia, inlaid in black marble.
1958 TYLER BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, Tyler, Texas. "Muskie": bronze sculpture and fountain. Sheets and Underwood, architects.
1959 AMERICAN PIPE AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY,
 Monterey Park, California. "Transportation of Water": natural rock
 mosaic mural. Smith, Powell & Morgridge, architects.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AWARD FOR ART AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.
1959 SAN MARINO CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, San Marino, California. "Tree of Life": mural, rock mosaic. Smith, Powell & Morgridge, architects.
1960 ELDORADO COUNTRY CLUB, Palm Desert, California. "The Eldorado Myth": murals, glass mosaic, rock mosaic and painting. William Cody, architect.
1961 CALIFORNIA CONGRESS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS,
Los Angeles, California. "Children at Play": sculpture, brick carved
tow relief, two walls. Smith, Powell & Mordgridge, architects.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AWARD FOR ART AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.
1961 BELL CITY LIBRARY, Bell, California. "Twenty Great Inventions": mural, natural stone. Marion J. Varner, architect.
1962 BUFFUMS DEPARTMENT STORE, Pomona, California. "Flying Pair": sculpture, mobile, epoxy resin and bronze.
1962 HARRAHS CLUB, Tahoe, California. "Colors of the Wind°: mural, enamel on copper.
1962 HOME SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, Compton, California. "Sources of Knowledge": mural, Italian glass mosaic inlaid in marble. Sheets and Underwood, architects.
1962 Fullerton City Hall, Fullerton, California. "Fullerton City Seal". Smith, Powell & Morgridge, architects.
1963 GIBRALTAR SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, Baldwin Hills, California. "Hold With An Open Hand": sculpture, bronze. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1963  SANTA CLARA CHURCH MAUSOLEUM, Ventura, California. "Crucifixion and Resurrection": two murals, Italian glass mosaic inlaid in travertine marble. Paul Lacono & Associates, architects.
1963  MT. SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, Pomona, California. "Great Moments in History": murals, acrylic on canvas, 1700 square feet on five walls, library. Austin, Field & Fry, architects. INVITATIONAL COMPETITION AWARD BY JURY.
1964 PRUDENTIAL FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, Salt Lake City, Utah. "The Gulls of Salt Lake City": sculpture screen, bronze 120 feet high. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1964 ROBERT E. GROSS MEMORIAL MONUMENT, President, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Forest Lawn, Glendale, California. "Flight Form": bronze sculpture, commissioned by Mrs. Robert E. Gross.
1965 PRUDENTIAL FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, Ogden, Utah. "Gulls": sculpture, bronze. Kurt Meyer and Associates, architects.
1965  HOWARD JOHNSON HOTEL, Anaheim, California. "Spanish Heritage": murals, oil on wood, silk screen process. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1967 ROBINSON'S DEPARTMENT STORE, Newport Beach, California. "The World's Largest Wind Chimes": sculptural screen, eight  feet high. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1968 IRVINE FINANCIAL PLAZA, Newport Beach, California. "Indigenous Inhabitants": sculptured concrete panels, 1200 square feet on forty walls. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects. AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AWARD OF MERIT.
1968 GENEVA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Santa Ana, California. "Tree of Life", "St. Martin's Cross", "The Last Supper": sculptured relief murals, plaster cement, three walls. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1968 CROCKER-CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK TOWER, Lobby, Los Angeles, California. "The California Migrations": mural, oil on canvas, 120 by 15 feet. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1969  ROBINSON'S DEPARTMENT STORE, San Diego, California. "Water Fall": sculptured wall, glazed ceramic, eighty  feet high. William L. Pereira & Associates, architects.
1969  LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY, Huntington Park, California. "Flight": sculpture, aluminum, 10 feet by 2 feet. Williamson and Morris, architects.
1969 HOFFMAN MOTORS BUILDING, Marina del Rey, California. "Bird of Wisdom": sculptured concrete mural. William P. Ficker, Architect.
1970  ARIZONA FIRST NATIONAL BANK, Globe, Arizona. "Founder I", "Founder II": murals, glazed ceramic tile. two walls.
1971 ROSE HILLS MEMORIAL PARK, Whittier, California. "Celestial Way": sculptured sundial, bronze. Cornell, Bridges and Troller, landscape architects.
1971  DAVIES PACIFIC CENTER, Honolulu, Hawaii. "The Nineteenth Century, Industries of Hawaii, sculptured concrete murals, five walls, poured in place. Au, Cutting, Smith & Associates, architects.
1971 KONA SURF RESORT HOTEL, Kona, Hawaii. "Hawaiian Visions": sculptured concrete murals, seven walls. Lemmon, Freeth, Haines, Jones and Farrell, architects; Robert Zimmer, interiors.
1972 INGLEWOOD CIVIC CENTER, Inglewood, California. "The Written Word": sculptured concrete murals, library and theater. Charles Luckman Associates, architects.
1972 UNION BANK PLAZA, Newport Beach, California. "Family Group": fountain sculpture, electroformed nickel and bronze. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, architects.
1972 YACHT HARBOR TOWERS, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Sail Forms": free-sculpture group, terrazzo, twenty feet. Rummell and Boone, architects.
1972  LOS ANGELES COUNTY LIBRARY, Lakewood, California. "Body of Knowledge": sculptured mural, ceramic. Williamson & Morris, architect.
1972 CROCKER BANK HEADQUARTERS, Transamerica Pyramid Building, San Francisco, California. "Forms of Flight": sculpture collection, seven pieces, titanium and stainless steel. William L. Pereira Associates, architects.
1972  PACIFIC MUTUAL HEADQUARTERS BUILDING, Newport Beach, California. "The Family": mural column, glazed ceramic tile on steel, seventy feet. William L. Pereira Associates, architects.
1972 DAVIES PACIFIC CENTER, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Shells and Gods": mural, oil on canvas. Au, Cutting, Smith & Associates, architects.
1972 REPUBLIC OF CHINA CIVIL AERONAUTICS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, Taipei, Taiwan. "History of Flight": sculptured concrete murals, eighteen panels. Sara Chang, architect.
1973 HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Luau": sculptured concrete mural, 80 feet by 13 feet. Ossipoff and Chang, architects.
1974   CITY OF LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER NORTH MALL, Los Angeles, California. Pedestrian bridge: sculptured concrete, designed and executed. Stanton & Stockwell, architectural planners.
1974  CITY OF LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER NORTH MALL, Los Angeles, California. "Hold the Bird With an Open Hand": fountain sculpture, fired ceramic on steel. Cornell, Bridges and Troller, landscape architects.
1974 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH, Long Beach, California. "Vietnam Ending": free standing sculpture, iron and bronze. INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM SELECTION.
1976 HAWAIIAN DREDGING AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Concrete Pour": sculptured concrete mural. Dillingham Corporation. Hogan and Chapman, architects.
1976  CENTURY PARK SHERATON HOTEL, Manila, Philippines. "Flight of Fancy": free hanging sculpture, fiberglass and fabric, 15 feet by 50 feet. Howard Hirsch and Associates, interior designers.
 
1977 HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY CLUB, Honolulu, Hawaii. “The Club": free standing sculpture, bronze, four pieces and wall hanging relief, combined materials. Paul Kamada and Associates, interior designers.
1977 WAILEA BEACH HOTEL, Maui, Hawaii. “Tapas": sculptured concrete murals, two walls. "Lava Falling to the Sea": woven wall mural. Hogan, Chapman, Cobeen, Weitz and Associates, architects.
1979 BANK OF NEWPORT BEACH, Newport Peach, California. "Authors of the Sea'": sculptured concrete murals, eight walls. Ficker and Ruffing, architects.
1982 WELLS FARGO BANK, Headquarters, Executive Lounge, Los Angeles, California. Sculpture group "Desert Dreams": paper mache, seven pieces; bronze, one piece. Vesti Corporation, art consultants.
1984 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Thomas Bradley Terminal, Los Angeles, California. "Silent Forms": fabric and fiberglass, thirty six pieces. Daniel Dwarski and William Pereira, architects.
1984 WILLIAM ALLEN RESIDENCE, Provo, Utah. "Birds of Prey": sculptured concrete murals, two walls, Lance Turner & Associates, architects.
1985  DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA, Hollywood, California. "King Vidor": sculpture, bronze. Portrait of King Vidor, founding president of DGA.
1986 PAUL BRINES RESIDENCE, Playa del Rey, California. "Sea Forms": sculptured concrete murals.
1988 GLENKIRK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Glendora, California. "Dove'": stained glass window, 25 feet by 25 feet. Steward Woodard & Associates, architects.
1988 GLENKIRK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Glendora, California. "The Sky Cross": sculptured wall, height fifty feet. Stewart Woodard & Associates, architects.
1991  CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH, Newport Beach, California, "Flight Forms", sculptured concrete mural, 15 feet by 120 feet.
   

ONE MAN EXHIBITIONS
1956 LOS ANGELES UNIVERSITY CLUB, Los Angeles, California
1959  OTIS ART INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY (OTIS-PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN), Los Angeles, California
1960 GALERIE DE MLLE, Los Angeles, California
1963  GALERIE DE MLLE, Las Angeles, California
1969 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Washington, D.C.
1970 GAIL WOODWARD GALLERIES, Westwood, California
1974 JACQUELINE ANHALT GALLERY, Los Angeles, California
1976  INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, London
1976  FESTIVAL D' AUTOMNE A PARIS, Foundation Salomon de Rothschild,  Paris
1977  CHAFFEY COLLEGE MUSEUM AND GALLERY, Ontario, California, retrospective exhibit
1977 MYER GALLERIES, Melbourne, Australia
1977 MYER GALLERIES, Sydney, Australia
1977 HONOLULU CITY HALL, Honolulu, Hawaii
1977 STEDELIJK MUSEUM, Amsterdam, with exhibit traveling to the municipal galleries of Den Helder, Bergen Aan Zee and Egmond Aan Zee, Holland
1977 LAKEHAL MUSEUM, Leiden, Holland
1977 SCHIEDAM MUSEUM, Rotterdam, Holland
1977 BUTLER CASTLE MUSEUM, Kilkenny, Ireland
1980  LOS ANGELES PACIFIC DESIGN CENTER, Los Angeles, California
1985  LAGUNA DESIGN CENTER, Laguna Beach, California
1986 CALIFORNIA MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, Los Angeles, California

CONCEPTUAL ART PROJECTS

1974  “JACOB'S LADDER" Van Sant is known for his design of large scale kites. His flying Sculptures have been flown and exhibited at a dozen museum in the United States and Europe. He was the first to use in modern materials of fiberglass tube and nylon fabric in kite construction. As such, he is known in the kite world as the father of modem kite
making. Jacob's Ladder was first exhibited 1976 at the Institute of
Contemporary Art in London. It consists of 200 segments, lifts up to 2000 pounds, measures 1/4 of a mile in length, and can be climbed by a person into the sky.

1980 "REFLECTIONS FROM EARTH": the world's largest man-made image, commissioned by The Los Angeles Bicentennial Commission, carried out in cooperation with NASA, US Geological Survey, City of Los Angeles Survey and Earth Resources Satellite Data Processing Center. Size: 1.4 miles. Special assistance from Dr. William E.. Evans, staff scientist. Stanford Research Institute


1981 "RYAN'S EYE”: the world's smallest man-made image, carried out in cooperation with the National Center for Sub-Micron Studies, Cornell  University. Size: 250nm1 /4 micron. Scanning electron microscope  under the direction of Dr. Michael Isaacson


1986 "EYES ON EARTH FROM SPACE.? a real-tune zoom from GOES-6 Satellite stationed 22,000 miles from the Earth, to the surface of the Earth, at the corner of Melrose and San Vincente Boulevards. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Pacific Design Center and the Formica Corporation, cooperation with NASA, U.S. Geological Survey and Earth Resources Satellite Data Processing Center.


1986 "SPORT AID EARTH": a present-time for image of the Earth generate for the international NBC production of "Sport Aid", commissioned by Global Media Productions, assisted by NASA, U.S. Geological Survey.

1986 “DESERT SUN - DESERT MOON": a GOES-6 Satellite mirror reflection event commissioned by MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and Smithsonian World

1987 "DAY OF WORLD PRAYER": a present-time color image of the Earth generated for the international NBC production of "Day of World Prayer", commissioned by Global Mete Productions, assisted NASA, U.S. Geological Survey Studios New York

ILLUSTRATION
1956- 59 FAITH & FREEDOM MAGAZINE, Art Director
1958 – 59 THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, documentary drawings and commentary on Greek Cypriot terrorist war, from Cyprus and Jordan, published January and February, 1959
1960 UNIVERSAL PICTURES CORPORATION, AWARD CAF MERIT,  documentary arid promotional drawings for the film "Spartacus"
196 I – 64 BANTAM PUBLISHING GO., AWARD OF MERIT, IWS,  Illustration of the novel "Spartacus" by Howard Fast
1961 - 64  McINTOSH, INC., card design, "Christmas Artists" series
1962 - 66  CHILDREN'S ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL, Los Angeles, California  Announcement and program design, Film World Premiers
1968  UNITED STATES LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, War combat artist, 1st Marine Division 

 

 INVENTIONS
1958 Use of natural colored stone mosaic pre-cast in epoxy resin for mural and certain wall application
1961 Electrodeposition of nickel, copper and bronze for lightweight, thin shell sculpture forming
1965  Development of polyurethane forms for concrete casting of sculpture relief in architectural application
1968  Development of forming procedures for exposed aggregate concrete casting
1974  Development and use of fiberglass and nylon fabric in airborne structures
1980  Development and use of solar reflectors for satellite sensor reception
1983  Use of scanning electromicrosopy for creation of sub micron imagery
1989 Design arid use of software for composting satellite mosaics
1995 Design of video projection systems for globe display technologies
 

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
1971 CITY OF INGLEWOOD, Art Master Plan for Inglewood Civic  Center, Inglewood, Charles Luckman Associates, architects
1972 - 73  CITY OF LOS ANGELES, Art and Environmental Master Plan for  the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles
1972 DAVIES PACIFIC CENTER, Honolulu, Hawaii. Art &  Environmental Consultant, Au, Cutting & Smith, architects
I 975 -  76 FARAHZAD CENTER, Teheran, Iran. Art & Environment Plan, Archisystems, Inc., planners and architects
1986 - 88 WORLD TECHNOLOGY TRADE CENTER, Washington, D.C. Smith /Williams Group, architect

TEACHING
1960 - 66 OTIS ART INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY  Instructor of drawing, painting and design
1967 - 68  OMEGA SEMINARS, Institute for Executive Research, Glendale, California. Instructor for personal growth seminars
1967 - 87 TOM AN SANT STUDIO, Los Angeles, California. Life drawing
1988 - 89  SANTA MONICA COLLEGE, Instructor of life drawing

AWARDS
1956  RETAIL CLERKS UNION, mural, oil on canvas. Juried open competition among graduate students of California.
1959 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECT'S, Art and Craftsmanship Award.
1963 MT.  SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, library murals. Juried international invitational competition.
1965 OUTSTANDING YOUNG MEN OF AMERICA, U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. Awarded for artistic achievement.
1968 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH, International Sculpture Symposiums Commission, "Vietnam Revisited', steel and bronze.
1984 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Sculpture assemblage, fabric and fiberglass, thirty six pieces. Award of Merit.

GLOBAL DISPLAY SYSTEMS
1989 Eyes On Earth, a California non-profit corporation, was founded by Van Sant for environmental research arid education.


1989 The GeoSphere Project was created by Van Sant as the display and distribution arm of Eyes On Earth. The following are its products.


1990 The GeoSphere Image marks a milestone in cartographic history.  it is the first satellite map of Earth, showing the real world it  appears from space. The work required one year of effort by Van  Sant and his technical team using the world's most powerful  graphics computers. The image was first published as the title page of the

1990 National Geographic World Atlas. Since 1991 it has been adopted by  all U.S. federal agencies, has been published in over 300 magazines and atlases, and is the largest selling image in the world.


1991 The Global Visual Library, under development by Van Sant since 1987, is an interactive, multimedia universal library. It consists of animated visualizations of Earth's processes, historic dynamics, species habits, migration patters, and political and social data bases. Organized in a global geographic information system.


1991 The  1991 The GeoSphere Globe, 6 feet in diameter, utilizes The GeoSphere Image of its surface and constitutes the first three dimensional, realistic model of planet Earth. The sphere is constructed of clear Lexan, thereby allowing video projectors within the globe to display the animated data sets of the Global Visual Library through its surface.


1992 The Earth Situation Room is the ultimate display of The GeoSphere Project effort. It incorporates the assets of The Global Visual Library, The GeoSphere Globe, and offers monitoring of world weather, earthquakes, ocean conditions, ozone depletion, deforestation, commercial air and sea traffic, and special research projects. Earth Situation Rooms have been installed at the following locations:


United Nations Summit Conference, Rio de Janeiro, 
Brazil Brazilian National Center for Space Research, 
Sao Paolo, Brazil
Hemiji Science Center, Osaka, Japan
World Exposition, Barcelona, Spain
Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C.
Athens, Greece and South Africa (contract in process)

PARTIAL LECTURE LIST
  • University of California at Los Angeles
  • University of California at Irvine
  • University of the Sequoias
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Stanford University
  • University of Hawaii
  • Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County
  • California Museum of Science and Industry
  • Exploratorium, San Francisco
  • Seattle Museum of Science arid Industry
  • Fort Worth City Association
  • Taipei Future City Association, Republic of China
  • American Institute of Architects
  • American Institute of Landscape Architects
  • Los Angeles Pacific Design Center
  • Institute of Contemporary Art, London
  • Architects For An Ethical Society
  • The Sierra Club
  • The Audubon Society
  • The Stedelijk Museum, Netherlands
  • Kilkenny Festival, Ireland
  • National Meteorological Society
  • Smithsonian Natural History Museum
  • United States Geological Survey, Sioux Falls
  • National Space Center, Sao Paolo, Brazil
  • Himiji Science Center, Osaka, Japan
  • Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan
  • National Ocean geographic and Atmospheric Administration
  • National Academy of Sciences
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Fort White Global Education Center, Ottawa, Canada
  • Hayden Planetarium, New York
  • Field Museum, Chicago
  • University of Hawaii
  • World Design Forum
  • United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  • United Nations Environment Program
  • National Center For Supercomputing Applications
  • TERC Symposium on Geographic Information Systems, Washington, D.C.
  • Stanford Research International, Palo Alto
  • National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
  • Center For Global Community, Kansas City
  • GLOBE International Symposium, Tokyo