Salt Lake City artist J. Thomas Mulder passed away just before Thanksgiving. Mulder was born to Dr. William and Gweneth Gates Mulder in Salt Lake City in 1939 and spent most of his life in the city.

Mulder earned a BA from the University of Utah in 1957, and spent three years living with his family in India where he attended Nizam College in Hyderabad, India. He also attended the University of California at Fresno, and earned an MFA from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa in 1977.

Until his death Mulder lived in the Avenues of Salt Lake City (and was this year’s featured artist for their annual Street Fair) and maintained a studio at Captain Captain Studios.

Mulder worked in oils and acrylics, and his works were characterized by their emphasis on design, form, color, and light. He is known for his landscapes and street scenes incorporating figures. His paintings are recognized for their richness of color and simplified forms that bring to mind the Regionalists of the 1930s.

During his time in India, Mulder developed a love for what he calls the “sun-belt” cultures. Mulder has traveled frequently, returning to India as well as spending time in Mexico, France and Italy. His “Chile and Tomatoes” in the Salt Lake County Art Collection is from a trip to Mexico.

Tom Mulder was represented by several galleries, and shows his work at a number of prestigious art festivals. He was awarded 1st place in the 2003 San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival in California.

15 Bytes

UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.