Personal and Family

Nash was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1951 and moved with his family to the south in 1969, after graduating from high school.

Tom's mother, Lois Nash is one of approximately 500 surviving members of the W.A.S.P., the Women Air force Service Pilots from WWII. She was one of a handful that flew the B-26 to tow targets and performed other duties for the war effort. At eighty-six she still enjoys golf twice a week and is active in the Christian Science church. She can still fit in her WWII uniform and recently piloted an experimental homebuilt airplane.

Before starting his distinguished career in business, Tom's late father, Albert E. Nash, trained as an engineer with degrees from Wayne State University and Lawrence Institute of Technology. At LIT he ran against and defeated the charismatic John Delorean for student government president. While he couldn't draw a nose or an eye, his wisdom and clear-eyed view of mankind gave Tom insights that have served him as a portrait painter as well as any knowledge of paints and brushes. He is missed.

Tom's Grandmother, Irene Lancaster was an artist and a public school teacher for forty years in the Ferndale Michigan school system. She was a great help and inspiration to Tom. Tom's cousin Kerry, also positively inspired by their grandmother Irene went on to distinguish herself in the field of education. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Novato Calif. Unified School District before being elected to the California State Assembly, representing the 6th Assembly District. Governor Gray Davis then appointed her California Secretary for Education. Kerry Mazzoni was the subject of one of Tom's earliest charcoal portraits, which she owns today.

Another artist and family member who was a great inspiration to Tom was his Uncle Bill. William Boyer was one of Ford Motor Companies leading designers and considered the man most responsible for the design of the original two seat Thunderbird. Upon his retirement he authored Thunderbird: An Odyssey in Automotive Design today a highly prized book.

Tom has an older brother Bill who shares their mother Lois's love of flying and played viola in orchestras. He too spent some time at Interlochen.

Tom lives with Donna his wife of 24 years. Before retiring as a professional photographer many years ago, former model Donna Pickman Nash photographed among others, interesting people such as Vanna White, Pat Benatar, Rich Little, Barry Manilow, and numerous aspiring models and actors. Today Donna is Tom's full time assistant and business partner. She also enjoys tennis and performing in parades and other functions with the Twilight Twirlers. The Twirlers, all forty-five years and older, are a group made up of women many of whom, like Donna were majorettes in school. Tom and Donna reside in Roswell Georgia.