Tommy Green

Tommy Green is a British-Canadian artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Fraser Valley, specializing in Drawing & Painting, Print Media, Mixed Media, Sculpture, and Extended Media. His artwork is rooted in themes of animal conservation, environmentalism, and sustainability, with a particular focus on endangered species. Through a mix of acrylics, oils, and lino prints, Tommy captures the emotions and essence of animals, creating vibrant, graphic representations that forge a deep emotional connection with viewers. His art challenges audiences to reflect on their role in preserving wildlife and ecosystems, and his symbolic approach avoids photorealistic portrayals, instead conveying the importance of the creatures he represents.

Tommy's work has been widely recognized and showcased across various festivals and exhibitions. In April 2022, his large-scale painting series was featured at the INTERPRET – Creative and Performing Arts Festival. That same year, he was commissioned to create a mural for the Chilliwack Mural Festival as part of a back-alley revitalization project. He has also been a panel member for the University of the Fraser Valley’s Wildlife Protection Club, in 2022 and reprised his role in 2023, where he evaluated artwork submissions for a silent auction benefiting the Fraser Valley Conservancy. In 2023, Tommy participated as a featured artist at the A Taste of the Valley event, where he exhibited his full body of artwork, and he showcased his lino prints at the Emerging Print Group Exhibition at the Dundarave Print Workshop on Granville Island. He became a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists in 2023, further solidifying his role in the national art community. In August 2023, he worked with Chilliwack Restorative Justice on the Restorative Cycles Bike Shop project, creating a vibrant, colorful mural focused on the themes of healing and community restoration. One of his banner designs was selected for Chilliwack’s 150th-anniversary celebrations. In 2024, Tommy painted a large 8ft by 12ft mural as a live artist at the Chilliwack Fair. He also regularly attends artisan markets as a vendor, bringing his original prints and artwork directly into the community.

Artist Statement

A catastrophe is heading our way, with humans being the cause. We have control over the whole planet, and with that comes the responsibility of managing its resources and wildlife. Our irresponsibility and reckless attitude toward the natural world have created dramatic, often irreversible effects. The United Nations states that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction—many within decades—more than ever before in human history. We lack empathy and compassion toward the non-human animals we share the planet with. There is a moral question we have to ask ourselves: Is it our right to drive species to extinction?

Through my work, I strive to challenge this lack of empathy and compassion toward the non-human animals we share the planet with. My paintings, made with mixed media including acrylics and oils, are expressive, complex, and textured—much like the wildlife they represent. My lino prints aim to capture the essence, emotion, and inner lives of endangered animals in a bold, graphic, and vibrant style. I intentionally avoid photorealism, choosing instead to create symbolic and emotional portrayals.

I view my work as a form of archival—preserving the memory of species that may one day vanish. Through anthropomorphism and the symbolic meanings we've long attributed to animals, I hope to create an emotional bridge between viewer and subject. I use portraiture to offer these creatures a platform—so they may be seen as valuable, important, and worthy of protection. More than anything, I hope my work imparts the love, fascination, and deep concern I feel for these animals and their disappearing habitats.