Carmen Tomé was born in Casegas, Beira Baixa, Portugal and moved to the Okanagan with her family when she was eight. Revealing an aptitude for art early on, she won a few drawing awards throughout school. Graduating from SOSS in Oliver, BC, Carmen won the Textiles & Clothing Design Award among other honors. She went on to study at Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver.

Catching the photography bug in 1993, she immediately delved into creating unique photographic images, winning awards and booking a one woman gallery exhibition within months of buying a camera. Freelancing out of Langley, BC, her photographic work took her all over Canada, the States and internationally with the emphasis on Lifestyle & Promotional Portraiture, Photographic Illustration and Fine Art Photography which sold privately and through many Galleries.

Alongside freelance photography, the passion to paint again arose in recent years and became more of a focus as time went on. Moving to Oliver in the Spring of 2011 marked a time of returning to her roots and sealed the transition into painting. Being an artist who has been described as a mad scientist, Carmen enjoys expressing with a diversity of many mediums as something new emerges in the flow. Going with the stream of conciousness she creates paintings using mixed media in any variation of acrylics, oils, coloured pencils, graphite pencils, inks, pastels and watercolors along with marble dust, gold and silver foils, papier mache, plasters, portland cement, epoxies, metals, earth colors, stones, and anything else that captivates her.

Of late, she has enjoyed working with paint to achieve renaissance characteristics with a contemporary twist.

Exhibitions, one woman and group, of her art and photography in Galleries and other Venues include Langley, Vancouver, Whistler, White Rock, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Harrison Hot Springs, Bowen Island, Vancouver Island, Quebec, Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary, Seattle and Lloyd’s Gallery in Penticton. Presently, in Oliver, BC, her art is represented by the Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery (a one woman permanent exhibition) and also at the Oliver Art Gallery, an artist’s cooperative gallery where she is a core member.

Carmen’s art awards include b&w realism drawings, acrylic quilted paintings, and over 40 in photography. She won ‘Photographer of the Year’ three times provincially with PPABC and ‘Commercial Photographer of the Year’ three times nationally with PPOC, along with being runner up multiple times. As well, she has won First in Class Awards in ‘Fine Art Photography’, ‘Pictorial’,‘ Portrait of a Group’, ‘Portrait of a Man’, ‘Portrait of an Animal’, ‘Photographic Illustration’, ‘Wedding Portrait’, ‘Industrial’, ‘Scenic’, and ‘Unclassified’. She also received nine Kodak Gallery Awards, three Fuji Masterpiece Awards, a Nikon Award and many Honourable Mentions.

Testimonials

Hi Carmen,
I want to thank you for painting such a wonderful portrait of me. I’m stunned! It is very beautiful!

Domenica Mastromatteo

What a joy to have had the experience to work with Carmen! She truly is an amazing and gifted photogragher. I was nervous about being captured on film and feeling afraid that I wasn’t perfect enough to be truly seen. Carmen could sense how I felt. Inviting me to an informal meeting, we discussed ideas and together through dialogue and laughter a bond of trust began to form.
When I showed her the fabric of the shirt I was considering wearing in the photo, the conviction in her reponse took all my doubt away. She made me feel respected with genuine integrity! On day of the photoshoot we simply picked up the conversation from the last meeting, just like two friends. The only difference was, this time Carmen was holding the camera. And that was cool, ’cause it felt like we were just having a conversation. The camera wasn’t an issue for me because I had connected with Carmen. She has the ability to see each person in their truth and it seems like the picture of her subject is so easy to fall in love with.

That’s why I say, what a joy, what an experience! It was amazing to see so many incredible shots. The difficult part was choosing 10 pictures, because we had over 35 lovely shots. It was remarkable! Numerous people including many music industry professionals have commented on the gorgeous photo’s in my CD jacket. If you are looking for a photogragher you need not look any further. I highly recommend Carmen Tome.

A very grateful and satisfied customer, Leora Cashe, Jazz Singer, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Vancouver, BC. Canada

It’s impossible to categorize Carmen’s work as simply “photography”. There is an unique richness and depth that transcends the medium. Each image captures not only the moment, but also the emotion. Carmen has the gidt of making her subjects completely at home in front of the camera, often resulting in compelling, very intimate viewpoints.

Sam Noerr, Senior Director Creative Services, Hosannah Integrity Music, Mobile, Alabama

Carmen Tome is an artist extraordinaire. Carmen’s gifting and calling is to serve God and His creation with visual artistry that provokes, inspires and encourages the human heart. Carmen’s photography and artwork has blessed thousands through the award winning hardcover publication entitled Trinity Western – Stories of Faith and Transformation.
My life has been enriched and blessed deeply as a result of Carmen Tome.

Doris Olafsen, M.A.,Vice-President, Advancement, Trinity Western University, Langley BC, Canada

Carmen captured the themes I had been visualizing for my next two cd’s. She presented artwork/photos that were bursting with character, warmth, emotion and versatility. Most importantly she was very conscious of all the visual dimensions to the projects. Carmen was very professional, helpful and a lot of fun to work with. I look forward to working together again in the future.

John Gilliat, Recording Artist, Musician, Composer, Langley BC, Canada

Carmen Tome is one of my favourite photographers! Her photos have a depth that tells a story with many layers and I have been really blessed to have her work on several of my CDs including Father’s House in ’94 and my new CD Today. People have been drawn to these projects just by the visual images!

Brian Doerksen, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Worship Leader, Abbotsford BC, Canada

Carmen Tome is an artist. Not really a photographer, but an artist. She has the gift to see the inner soul of her subject and the ability to bring that unique quality out and capture it on film. Carmen looks through a lens and is able to capture interest and beauty in everything she sees. I am always delighted and amazed at what she creates. For the past ten years Carmen has photographed our family and these photos have become treasures we will enjoy for many years to come.
Once Carmen took an extraordinary photo of me lying on my grand piano with my hand under my chin looking very sultry and sumptuous! I must say I adored that photo and managed to show it to anyone and everyone who dropped by my house. This was all done very inconspicuously of course. Men were transfixed by this vision of beauty. Some actually lusted after me! One guy blurted out, “That’s Hot!!!” Ater some soul searching, I decided to move said photo to my bedroom, where my husband could ponder it and enjoy it forever. All this is true. I am not being paid to say this. I’m also not making it up for Carmen to like me the best of all her clients and put me and my piano on her website………well, maybe a little.

Rose Block, The Block Family, Singer, Recording Artist, Writer, White Rock BC, Canada