Tom Holdman

Tom Holdman (born April 8, 1970) is a glass artist located in Lehi, Utah in the United States. His works include the story telling stained-glass windows in the Orem City Library in Orem, Utah; the Roots of Knowledge stained-glass window at Utah Valley University (UVU); and pieces for more than 50 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[1]

Tom Holdman
BornApril 8, 1970
NationalityAmerican
Known forStained glass
Notable work
Roots of Knowledge, Orem City Library, Rome LDS Church Temple visitor's center
Spouse(s)Gayle Holdman
Websitewww.holdmanstudios.com

Career

Holdman's interest in stained glass began in high school when a teacher acted as a mentor to Holdman's art. When he was 21, Holdman started a stained-glass studio out of his parents' garage and found patrons by traveling door-to-door. He founded Holdman Studios in 1988 in Lehi, UT. One of his first stained-glass works was for the Orem Public Library, funded by Karen and Alan Ashton, depicting classic children's fairytales and stories.[2] Holdman describes his introduction to glass-art, "It’s a partnership of three — the artist, the glass and the light. You are only one-third of that partnership. I loved how the light interacted with the glass. It’s hundreds of pieces of art as it is affected by the sun. That captivated me."[1]

Roots of Knowledge

Holdman's Roots of Knowledge is a 200-foot stained glass wall installation, located in UVU's Fulton Library.[3][4] Completed in 2016, the project took 12 years to complete at a budget of $3 million.[1] The wall includes depictions of Isaac Newton, Harriet Tubman, the Berlin Wall, Stonehenge, the Millennium Falcon, Gandhi, and Alfred Hitchcock (holding a knife behind his back).[5] It also contains real objects encased in glass including a Roman coin, a piece of meteorite, and a spoon from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.[6] After an exhibition in London The Guardian called it 'one of the most spectacular stained glass windows made in the past century'.[6]

LDS Church projects

Prior to the 2000 opening, the LDS Church asked Holdman to create a glass-art depiction of the First Vision for the Palmyra Temple.[7] His work is also featured in the Manhattan New York, Paris France, and Laie Hawaii temples. Holdman designed, created, and installed a four-panel depiction of Jesus Christ's life, miracles, and parables in the LDS Church's Rome Italy Temple visitor's center.[8]

Personal life

Holdman was born in Orem, Utah and has spoken with a stutter since childhood.[1] He attended Orem High School and UVU and served a mission for the LDS Church to Dallas, Texas.[1] In 2016, Holdman was arrested on multiple charges including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.[9]

References
  1. Robinson, Doug. "Man with life-long stutter finds a voice through art", Deseret News, 15 January 2017. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  2. Jackson, Lisa Ann. "Artists Speak to Imaginations Through Painted Glass", BYU Magazine. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  3. "Tom Holdman’s Roots of Knowledge", Talking out your Glass. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  4. Waggoner, Shawn. "Tom Holdman's Roots of Knowledge", Talking Out Your Glass podcast, 19 August 2016. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  5. Bennett, Jeanette. "Head Of The Glass: Tom Holdman’s 12-Year-Old Glassy Idea Lights UVU With Roots Of Knowledge", Utah Valley 360, 9 November 2016. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  6. "Gigantic $3m stained glass window charts history of knowledge", The Guardian, 26 October 2016. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  7. Leavitt, Amie Jane. "Illumination: The Story of Tom Holdman and Holdman Studios", Stained Glass, April 2010. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  8. Rappleye, Christine. "'Come Unto Me' shares images, scriptures and stories behind the stained glass window in Rome visitors center", Deseret News, 9 March 2019. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
  9. Dodson, Braley. "Stained glass artist arrested on suspicion of multiple charges", Provo Herald, 31 March 2016. Retrieved on 12 January 2021.
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