He was born in New York to loving working class parents. He didn't realize it growing up, but his family was struggling financially. His mother was a cleaning person and his father, a mechanic. Both worked all the time, and he rarely saw them. Thomas was a quiet, intelligent child who kept to himself. His mother received some art books from one of her house-cleaning clients, and from that point on, he wanted to learn to paint. Thomas wanted to show others his perspective of the world and capture the things that he experienced and observed. He considers the visual arts his main form of expression. Thomas has traveled extensively and has come into contact with many people of all races, ages, and economic backgrounds. He loves to hear the stories of the people. He hopes his art can inspire and give voice to the people he has met.