ABOUT
TOM D’AURIA
Born in Boynton Beach, Florida, in 1989, Tom D’Auria has spent much of his life drawing inspiration from the waters and landscapes of South Florida. His connection to the region began close to home, fishing neighborhood lakes and canals before venturing farther to beaches, inlets, piers, jetties, and eventually the offshore waters along Florida’s coast. What began as a childhood pursuit developed into a lifelong fascination with fishing, aquatic life, and the environments they inhabit.
That firsthand experience on the water remains central to D’Auria’s work. His oil paintings combine close observation with an illustrator’s sense of composition and narrative, balancing realism with expressive brushwork, atmosphere, and movement. More than simply depicting a particular species, he is interested in the experience surrounding it: the changing color and character of the water, the flash of a fish beneath the surface, and the anticipation and energy of a moment offshore.
D’Auria’s formal art training began at Bak Middle School of the Arts and continued at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. He later earned his BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design, studying under artists and instructors including George Pratt, Hodges Soileau, and Fiore Custode. He returned to South Florida after graduation, bringing that training back to the subjects and places that had shaped his work from the beginning.
His career has included commissioned artwork for Columbia Sportswear’s Performance Fishing Gear collection, large-scale public and private murals, and commissioned paintings throughout Florida. His work has also appeared in print, publishing, and licensed products. In 2026, his painting Antigua Marlin was selected for the cover of Sporting Classics magazine.​
​
​D’Auria continues to fish whenever possible, allowing time on the water to inform his studio practice. Based in South Florida, he creates original oil paintings inspired by the waters he has known throughout his life, from Florida’s freshwater lakes and backwaters to the open Atlantic.
​
