alumni directory

Thomas Kerr

Visual Communications

Professor at St. John's University/Illustrator · Dip

www.tom-kerr.com/

Thomas Kerr is a New York–based illustrator, visual essayist, educator, and urban sketcher whose career has spanned more than four decades. Known for combining sharp observation, narrative depth, and a distinctive sense of humor, my work has appeared in major newspapers, magazines, and opinion pages throughout North America and beyond.

A graduate of the Alberta College of Art & Design and holder of an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts, I've built a reputation for creating images that do more than illustrate—they comment, question, and tell stories. My editorial illustrations have been syndicated internationally and have addressed subjects ranging from politics and social issues to culture, history, and everyday life.

Alongside my professional illustration practice, I'm a tenured professor who has spent years mentoring emerging artists and encouraging the development of strong visual thinking and craftsmanship. My work moves comfortably between editorial illustration, courtroom drawing, watercolor, figure studies, and urban sketching, reflecting a lifelong fascination with people and the environments they inhabit.

Whether documenting the character of a neighborhood café, capturing the tension of a courtroom, or creating visual commentary on current events, I approach each drawing as an act of observation and storytelling. My sketchbooks, paintings, and published illustrations share a common goal: to find the humanity, absurdity, and significance hidden in everyday experience.

I'm also the author of Ink in the Water, a collection of award-winning editorial illustrations and reflections drawn from a decade of work for New York City's historic newspaper, The Wave.