Announcing the Exhibition of Our Founder Tom Balbo; In Search of A Second Moon

The Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory is showcasing the works of founder Tom Balbo this fall in this newly announced exhibition, In Search of A Second Moon. Substituting the annual benefit this year, this exhibition will be a culmination of the works Tom has created during the past 18 months. Drawing on the pandemic, isolation, quarantine, as well as nature, wildlife, shape, and color, this exhibition will leave guests awed by the sheer magnitude of works. There will be a celebration on October 2, where Tom will be showcasing his process and giving demonstrations of the pieces being exhibited in the show. Most importantly, every item in the show will be available for sale, with a percentage being donated back to the Morgan. With Tom working closely with our artists in residence, the proceeds will be going towards further developing and continuing that program. If you have been a proprietor of Tom’s work for years or just starting your collection, this exhibition will be the perfect opportunity for you to pay it forward while also joining in celebrating Tom’s outstanding work.

Tom Balbo has spent most of his life in and around Cleveland, Ohio. Born December 19, 1954, he attended public and private schools in the Cleveland area. In 1977 he graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio with a B.A. in Studio Arts. Tom then went on to receive his Master's Degree from Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts in Syracuse, New York in 1980 in Studio Arts. Tom was awarded a Syracuse University Fellowship Grant in 1979 and a Ford Foundation Grant in 1980.

Tom's earliest work was primarily in ceramics and printmaking. As his interest in papermaking grew, his work turned increasingly towards expressing his artistic creativity in this area. Over the past 40 years, Tom's work has been exhibited and shown in a large number of shows and galleries and he has garnered numerous awards and critical attention for his work.

In 2007, Tom teamed up with noted Cleveland-area artists and national hand papermaking artists to improve and conserve the art of paper & book arts educational programming in the US. Knowing that these were art forms worth preserving, the Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation officially opened its doors in October 2008.