Christmas 2025 Update from Tom Callos
While I make a mind-numbing number of posts on my Instagram and Facebook accounts, I’ve been ignoring my blog for some time. My opinion is that blogging has become rather superfluous, nevertheless I’m writing here again to update any quiet soul who might be interested in what I am —or am not —doing.
Cancer. My wife was diagnosed, went thru chemo hell, radiation too, and I’ve been the happy caregiver for her. Nothing like a little cancer to derail the best laid plans. She is in remission and recovering, thank you.
The Passing of Friends. Since my last post a small, but nevertheless important, collection of longtime friends have gone on to that big, spacious, super-clean dojo in the sky. Chief among them is GGM Tony B. Thompson, a longtime friend and instructor. You're missed Grandmaster Tony! Then there was the sudden passing of Richard Norton of Australia. A couple of weeks before his departure I’d spent some roomate time with Richard and his wife Judy, as we all camped out at our mutual friend’s house in LA, school owner and master teacher Fariborz Azhakh. He passed suddenly at his home in Australia —and had you asked me, I would have suggested that among all our friends, Richard would have been the one who outlived us all. You’re missed Richard!
Richard and Judy Norton
The benefit to the loss of your loved ones and friends, is that each is a grand lesson in the importance of living in the here and now. One never knows when your time here is up.
Art Like there is No Tomorrow. I am deeply committed to making art, as in the way I used to be committed to practicing the martial arts. I try to show up in my studio every day of the week —and I approach each new effort as an opportunity to practice the craft, to put myself in the certain state of mind (art meditation), and to make the work ever more complex —or simple —in the quest to make the pieces as transcendent as I am able.
That’s artist Alexander Calder
Contribution to Others. When I am able I try to make things and/or otherwise contribute to worthwhile causes. Over the last XX amount of time since I last blogged, I handmade 50 prints with a butterfly theme for my friend environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill. All the proceeds have gone to charities picked by Julia. My prntmaking-legend friend, Amos Kennedy joined the project and gifted Julia 100 of his own custom made prints. Thank you Amos! Oh, and thanks to printmaker Kelli MacConnell for her collaboration!
I made prints to benefit victims of the Maui fire —and my former student and friend BJ Penn and I used them to raise several thousand for the effort. And another famous printmaker friend of mine also sent along 100 of his own print design to contribute. Thank you to Neil Shigley!
Sadly, I made prints for distribution at the funeral of a very fine person and good friend, artist and martial artist Patti Oji —who was hit by a car as she was crossing a street in her hometown, Patti! Damn, you’re missed.
Presently, as of Dec 18, 2025, I am making prints of Bruce Lee for The Bruce Lee Foundation’s non-profit efforts. One piece is in auction now —and I've made a number of new prints for their next art auction. They’re drying on my rack as I write this.
And I think that’s enough UPDATE for now. If you made it all the way to the bottom of this piece, THANK YOU! Happy Holidays and an even Happier New Year!
