Tom Stephens was born in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where the rhythms of the ocean and the vastness of the sky left an early imprint on his artistic imagination. He earned his B.F.A. from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, a place that further shaped his visual language and commitment to craft.

Stephens' work, rooted in a deep sensitivity to atmosphere, memory, and movement, has been exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States. His paintings have found homes in both public and private collections, including those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Morgan Stanley, Ringling College of Art and Design, and PNC Bank. His work also resides in over 85 private collections across the U.S. and abroad.

Guided by intuition and the natural world, Stephens continues to explore the tension between abstraction and representation—balancing gesture with structure, and spontaneity with reflection.