Friendly Alien #2, 2024

Tom Hurel  

Tom Hurel is a British contemporary artist whose journey has been anything but ordinary. Born in the UK and now based in Florence, Italy, Tom's artistic path has taken him from the streets of Indonesia and Asia to the studios of Europe, with a few unexpected stops along the way. 

With a degree in Contemporary Art, Tom's career didn't exactly follow the traditional route. After spending time in prison (he's happy to share that story over a drink), he found himself furiously painting for his life—well, at least for his sanity—in the prison art class.

The hours spent with paintbrush in hand were his escape from the daily grind of jail life, and it wasn't long before Tom's artistic passion earned him the role of Art Mentor. There, he took on the daunting task of teaching fellow inmates how to use art as a creative outlet—and, as Tom likes to joke, how to avoid getting on the wrong side of the prison guard with a well-placed sketch.

Now in Florence, Tom creates bold oil paintings on wood, each piece taking shape slowly and deliberately. With a new series emerging weekly, his process is so meticulous he jokes his brushes have a better work-life balance than most artists.

His work is an ongoing exploration of cultural influences, personal growth, and the intersection of life's oddest twists. Through each evolving series, Tom invites viewers to join him on a creative journey that continues to surprise—even him.

He participated in various collective exhibitions around world and his art is already in many private collections, he started to collaborate with the Tobian Art Gallery in Florence in 2024