Thomas Little
I grew up in the valley of the sun, Mesa Arizona, in the shadow of the Superstition Mountains. Moving briefly to Thousand Oaks, California, my family, who all had an artistic aptitude, would often go to the ocean and sketch together. I would draw and they would paint. Also, I loved watching ‘The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau’ and was drawn by the adventure and charm of the underwater world. I became a certified scuba diver at the age of 15 and my own underwater adventures began. Simultaneously, I became an avid fisherman (catch and release) a passion that continues to this day.
When I was 19 years old, I served a Mission for the Mormon Church in Finland. After two years I returned home and soon met the love of my life, Shauna. Together, we have four amazing children and seven grandchildren, all of whom we love greatly. At the start of our marriage, we considered art and design as our basis of employment; however, upon further reflection, she encouraged me to focus on my engineering and technology background. I completed a degree in graphic design and printing technology at Brigham Young University in Utah, a Masters Degree in technology at San Jose State and a PhD at Purdue University in Indiana with an emphasis in statistical methods.
In the year 2000, and after 15 years of employment in Silicon Valley, I started a successful consulting company, Thomas A. Little Consulting. I specialize in statistical methods focusing on biologics and pharmaceutical development. In all that time I never lost my passion for drawing and graphic design. Several years ago, I received an iPad as a Christmas gift that allowed me to draw and paint in my down time. Shauna, also a gifted artist, had begun her own design business, Clara Jean Design, partnering with our daughter, Afton Harding.
My dormant artistic talent came to life and I began drawing that which I loved most, underwater creatures and coastal designs. I now have a passion for working on print projects for fabric and surface designs. My first collection, Ocean Blue, reflects my fascination for underwater and coastal themes. Shauna and I continue to travel the world. We have visited all seven continents including Antarctica. We call our home in Utah our launch pad as it is an inspiring place to live, allowing us the freedom to visit the amazing world in which we live.
