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 andp aint in my down time. Shauna, also a gifted artist, had begun
her own designb usiness, 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.