THE ARTIST
Christopher O'Conner, who works under the alias Tomi D'Ivoire, is a contemporary artist whose creative journey began at the age of 8, inspired by fashion design, comic books, and performing arts. Like many young artists, Chris found joy in bringing fantastical worlds and characters to life on the page. This early love for art grew into a dedicated pursuit, earning him numerous awards during his high school years, where he excelled in AP art and refined his skills as a portrait artist. By the age of 16, Chris began taking commissions to support his artistic endeavors.
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Fueled by his passion for the arts, Chris honed his craft at Middle Tennessee State University, where he studied art, visual effects, and animation. Throughout his time there, he leveraged his talent for portraiture to help pay his bills, blending his artistic prowess with practical necessity. Graduating with a bachelor's degree in animation and a minor in art, Chris became a pioneer in Memphis, TN by founding the city’s first visual effects and animation company, Prodigi Arts. His exceptional skills as a traditional artist allowed his company to create captivating visuals for local businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofit organizations.
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Chris’s achievements as a filmmaker include winning multiple Emmy Awards, a testament to his creative vision and storytelling ability. Despite his accolades in the film industry, his love for traditional art never waned. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity for reflection and growth, as Chris found himself at home, inspired to reconnect with his artistic roots.
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During this transformative period, he dedicated himself to discovering his unique voice and style as a contemporary artist. His work now reflects a dynamic blend of his visual effects background, his traditional artistic techniques, and his fascination with design and fashion, inviting viewers into a vivid exploration of emotion and imagination. In 2020, Chris adopted the alias "Tomi D'Ivoire" to liberate himself from the constraints of others’ expectations, allowing his creativity to flourish unbound by conventional labels, while also paying ohmage to his African roots. Tomi continues to push the boundaries of art, carving out a unique space for himself in the contemporary art landscape.
artist impact
Tomi's work elegantly incorporates the allure of fashion design while also poignantly reflecting on the impermanence of life and the passage of time. Through meaningful use of color and a remarkable blend of imagination and creativity, Tomi's work inspires deep reflection and personal interpretation. Tomi invites viewers to contemplate how life and society's beautiy standard shape our identities, creating a dialogue between the fleeting moments of life and the enduring beauty of artistic expression.