This year (2014) marks Tom Everhart's 25th year painting Charles Schulz influenced art. For a quarter of a century, his thesis has remained focused. But, his approach has continually evolved in dynamic ways. With each new painting Everhart has pushed into new territory – in concept, style and technical approach. It is this drive to explore beyond the obvious that has kept his art as alive and vital as the characters that inhabit it. After these many years, Everhart has found himself at a place in his artistic career that all artists dream of - a time when a high level of success and recognition for his work has afforded him the freedom to fully express his creative vision. Arriving at such a place is something Everhart shares with his once mentor and close friend Charles Schulz. By the mid 60's, Schulz had earned a similar creative license through the peaking success of Peanut's. Once there he was able to freely explore. Out of this time came some of the best work he would ultimately produce. And, for his fans, one the most cherished being Snoopy's alter ego, the World War One Flying Ace. Everhart feels that it's no coincidence that just at the time Schulz was freeing his comic strip to ideas of fantasy, Snoopy took to the sky. It perfectly expressed the freedom of being able to soar above all the earthbound challenges and obstacles. Everhart's painting 'My Homie Ace' is a celebration of this feeling of freedom – the chosen freedom to rise above the terrestrial nonsense that can limit all of us from the lives for which we were meant. He's done this not just by putting Snoopy in the sky as the Flying Ace, but by equally expressing his attitude. Snoopy's head is cocked back, pointing upwards, as he continues to climb higher, with his tooth filled grin of satisfaction. As if to say "Who cares", "Ha!", "I've risen above it all."
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