Tom Stone's Unvarnished Truth

Still Airborne

Indigo Child

Spring Rain

You can see his work on Flicker.  His portraits are almost all of people living on the edge.  Broken promises, broken dreams.
Hard to hang out with their images.  You can see the loss and pain in their eyes.  Some are scary, their anger waging war just below the surface.  Some are burnt out, others lost their way.  Wanderers, drifters, missing persons.  And to most of us, invisible.  But not for San Francisco artist Tom Stone.  He clearly feels a connection, and his work has a clarity and openness that shines through. It's strong stuff though, and I'm so aware of sitting in my warm, comfortable home as I look at portraits of all these people who live without.  And seeing them, through Tom Stone's eyes, brings the street right into my head.  

Tom Stone

And then there's the words Stone adds to his pictures.  Telling their story like they would tell it.  When he can.  His piece on Still Airborne for example.  Stone captures the moment they share together, on the street, in the world.  You can tell from his artist statement that he's looking for that common thread, that human connection, that binds us with the people he photographs.  There's passion in his work, and honesty and the courage to look broken dreams in the face.  Hold the gaze.  And reach out a hand.