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Tom Best
Senior Keepsake Artist

On Wednesday, July 13, Hallmark Artist, Tom Best chatted with collectors via Facebook. Here is a synopsis of that chat that highlights most of the questions and responses. Please note the chat is not in chronological order and has been grouped by subject and edited for brevity.

Frosty Friends

Tom: To me it’s always a boy and his dog kind of story. What could he do for fun and entertainment on a frozen tundra!

Tom: Being clever is tough and I aspire to that with each ornament I do.

Tom: The 2014 reindeer and snowball launcher.

Tom: The totem pole on this year’s Frosty Friend ornament.

Tom: Indeed it is from the 2009 series piece. Because both characters were on snow skis, we thought this would make a great miniature ornament as they were posed just perfectly.

Frosty Friends
37th in the series.

Tom: We try to make sure that we have a range of function in our Keepsakes line. Stay tuned for more Frosty Friends with magic!

Tom: I’m pleased to announce there will be more Frosty Friends magic cord pieces to come!

Tom: The Frosty Cowboy was fun to do! It was such a departure from the usual. It was hard making Frosty’s head into a Cowboy hat.

Tom: Sadly, no, but they were fun while they lasted!

Tom: This is a great idea! We’ll have to take it back to the team.

Tom: The magic cord Frosty pieces are currently bringing Frosty to life. However, working with Ken would be so much fun!

Tom: Yes, I did! Since I am “the Frosty guy” I had input and had to approve all designs and make sure Frosty was true to character.

Tom: That’s a great idea but Frosty is underage!

Kristin Syverson Kakuschke: How about a root beer stein?

Faye Babcock: He must have found the fountain of youth.

Johnny Van Osch: I’m thinking well Frosty is 37 years old as of today.

Tom: By god your right Johnny, he is 37 …Frosty and I are going out for a beer!

Guitars

Up on the Housetop

Tom: Absolutely! I first come up with the idea by sketching around. Then, I create the piece digitally.

Tom: This year’s guitar is inspired by a National guitar. The guitar from 2014 was inspired by a Gretsch.

Tom: As far as brands, I have to make sure all my guitar designs stay generic for fear of being sued for copyright infringement by some real guitar company.

Tom: No,  I’m afraid I only got the art gene, the world is a better place with me not playing any music.

Tom: I am a music lover! I’m inspired by my brothers. They’re both musicians.

Tom: Creative yes, though she is going to be a writer!

Tom: Great to hear, good for your son and grandson. Nello Williams my work-neighbor builds guitars and is quite a musician himself. Make sure you have them meet him as well. I run all my guitar ornaments through Nello to make sure they are factually correct. He is my quality control for guitars ! He rocks!

Tom: We have done a Toy Story themed ukulele with Woody on it but we will take the idea back to the team and see if we can do another one. I’d love to do a bass guitar….maybe soon!

Other Work

Tom: When you look at beer steins, most of them have a European peasantry theme. The worker “elves” are similar to the farmers and peasants that you see on original beer stein designs from Europe.

Tom: Yes, I do! We used to have 3 dogs but sadly, we’re down to two. Last year’s beer stein had a deer on the handle. That deer was inspired by my dog Jake. Jake, my chocolate lab, sat for me so I could sketch him as a deer.

Tom: I don’t collect steins myself, but my father had some growing up. He was stationed in Germany after the war and we had a few steins at home that always intrigued me. My favorite beers seem to be of the German style.

Tom: I come up with the concept. I do the first drawings and then work with my partners to finish out the final product.

Marc Mirabal: So you concept the Once Upon a Christmas series but do not contribute to the sculpting.

Tom: More or less, I do the upfront concept work and sketches on that series. Though on the Snug Fit for Santa, the 3rd in series piece, I built the standing mirror in a 3D program. We out put a prototype and Julie L. Forsyth took it from there, sculpting the Santa and reindeer scene in bas relief on the back.

Beer Stein

Tom: Most of my fishing inspiration comes from Lake Erie. I grew up right by the lake and fished often as a part of my childhood.

Career

Tom: I came right from art school to Hallmark. I began working in the greeting card department for 20 years. I was lucky enough to join Keepsakes in 2003 and have been here ever since!

Tom: The first illustration I did for Hallmark was a sympathy card for loss of daughter. It weighed heavy on me. I realized the sobering gravity of that card sending situation.

Tom: I had been in Hallmark’s greeting card department for 20 years. The idea of doing 3D product was attractive and so I applied for the job!

Tom: I used to paint all the time but don’t paint much anymore. I sure wish I did it more often. This is a tough question but I still love to draw.

Tom: Rodney is my brother! Robert Chad is a hoot. My work neighbor, Nello. But everybody is a dear friend!

Other

Tom: I’ve been to that museum and that sure is a good one! I don’t have a specific spot that I go to get inspired.

Tom: My inspirations come from my everyday life. They come from things I see, junk mail, on television, driving down the street, current events. I love history, so anything old! Nostalgic and pop culture!

Tom: That’s a tough question, just like asking what is my favorite color! Every year I have a favorite piece. Best Bucks (2008), an old slot machine from a casino and Santa’s Jukebox (2007), a tabletop jukebox Just like the kind you’d find in the booth in an old diner. I also enjoy the beer steins and guitars always and in 2014, I love the fishing ornament.

Tom: If cost were no option, I’d add more detail and more function!

Tom: I work with artist as a team effort. Everybody brings what they’re best at to the table.

Tom: Sure do! Thank goodness no block lasts for more than 24 hours. A looming deadline helps me power through!