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Artist and Mill Valley native Tom Killion, at left, and his woodcut piece “Tennessee Cove.” Image via County of Marin.
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The annual award recognizes an individual or individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to cultural life in Marin County through outstanding service and support of Marin Center cultural programs and services. The honoree is selected by the Cultural Commission and is recognized by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. The recipients receive a Resolution of Appreciation from the Supervisors and are recognized on a plaque in the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium Green Room.
Killion was born and raised in Mill Valley, on the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais, where the rugged scenery inspired him from an early age to create landscape prints strongly influenced by traditional Japanese woodblock prints. Along with publishing fine art letterpress books, Killion holds a Ph.D. in African history from Stanford University and has taught history at several Bay Area universities. He is the founder of The Quail Press and his extensively illustrated books include 28 Views of Mount Tamalpais, The Coast of California, and Walls: A Journey Across Three Continents. Killion collaborated on The High Sierra of California, which was published in 2002 and Tamalpais Walking, published in 2009.
“Not only is he a superb artist whose work is all about the unique beauty of Marin, but his contributions to community life in Marin are much appreciated,” said Suzie Pollack, vice chair of the Cultural Services Commission.
Killion has been a longtime supporter of the Marin County Fair as an art judge and award-winning exhibitor.
“I am so honored to receive this recognition from the Marin County Cultural Commission,” Killion said. “As a Marin County native, I cherish this place and people more than anywhere else in the world, and to feel the support of my community here constantly inspires me to keep exploring the limitless possibilities of artistic creation. Thank you!”
Killion is working on landscape prints including treescapes, coastal and mountain views at his studio on Inverness Ridge near Point Reyes. A special exhibit of Killion’s work will be on view in Marin Center’s Bartolini Gallery from March 16 to April 28, 2017.
Past winners of the Marin Cultural Treasure Award have included arts and culture reporter Paul Liberatore; cartoonist Phil Frank; philanthropist Henry Moody; Jeanne Bogardus, Marin Arts Council leader; Phyllis Thelen, artist and long-time cultural leader; West Marin photographer Art Rogers; cultural leader Joann Dunn; community leader Felecia Gaston of Performing Stars of Marin, fine art painters Kathleen Lipinski and Steve Emery and most recently Director of the Italian Film Festival Lido Cantarutti.