From The Artist

Todd is an artist in many forms, with many styles he has been a professional chef for 30 years, and only recently over the last three years has started painting again. TOD was very active in the arts as a high school student. He painted murals at King Philip Regional High School, and achieved an award for “Excellence in Art“.  After high school TOD began cooking in a couple local restaurants, and thus began his long obsession with cuisine. The restaurant industry is incredibly demanding, and requires a lot of creativity. So with the majority of his time, as well as his need to be creative, both being fully consumed 30 years went by very quickly. TOD’s family was tragically affected by Covid and the death of his father. But after three years of continued sobriety from alcohol, TOD has created hundreds of pieces of art. Through art therapy he has been able to find peace and strength with his struggles with Alcoholism.

‘Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandmother, Lois, was an oil painter, and her work filled my childhood home with incredible landscapes and deeply personal portraits. Growing up surrounded by her art, I was constantly inspired to create, sketching often and developing a talent that earned me an "Excellence in Art" award in high school--one of the few tangible things I took away from that experience.

Despite my early love for drawing, I never fully embraced painting. It felt too permanent, too unforgiving. Life, on the other hand, turned out to be just as unpredictable. After attempts at college, including a stint at Mass College of Art, I found myself working multiple jobs instead, carving out a career as a chef. Cooking became my creative outlet for over 20 years--until the world changed.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down restaurants, it shattered the belief that I'd always be able to find work. Then, in 2021, my father passed away, and my life took an even deeper turn. Grief and uncertainty pushed me further into drinking, until a forced week of sobriety due to illness made me realize how much I needed change. On December 28, 2021, I unknowingly took my first step into the hardest challenge of my life--living without alcohol.

Painting didn't come back to me right away, but when it did, I couldn't stop. It became more than just a creative release--it became a lifeline. In every brushstroke, I find focus. In every canvas, I rediscover parts of myself that I thought I had lost.

Today, my art is an evolving reflection of my journey. My methods shift, my style grows, but every piece is deeply personal, capturing a moment, an emotion, a piece of my soul. I create not just to express myself, but to remind myself of where I've been and where I'm going. The struggle may always exist, but it will never define me.’  -TA