“I never made it past that first blown up drawing of his strip. I sat in front of it for hours. I don’t even remember leaving it.”
Tom Everhart, born May 21, 1952 in Washington, D.C., studied at Yale University and the Musee de l’Orangerie in Paris. A fine artist by training, he was introduced to Charles M. Schulz in 1980. Fascinated by Schulz’s expressive pen work, Everhart explored Peanuts’ characters in his unique large-format, painterly style.
Their meeting initiated a long-standing artistic and personal relationship. Everhart’s ability to capture Schulz’s line and emotion earned him Schulz’s endorsement and deep friendship. He began working on official Peanuts projects for magazines, Met Life, and the White House, before fully transitioning to Peanuts-themed fine art in 1988 after a battle with cancer.
His paintings have been exhibited in world-renowned institutions including the Louvre (Paris), L.A. County Museum of Natural History, Suntory Museum of Art (Tokyo), and Charles M. Schulz Museum (Santa Rosa). In 1997, Snoopy, Not Your Average Dog was published, celebrating his Schulz-inspired work.
In 2000, CBS designed a full soundstage with Everhart’s art for a Schulz tribute hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. After Schulz’s passing, Everhart moved to Venice, California and began dividing his time between there and French Polynesia, which deeply influenced his vibrant palette and abstract interpretations of Schulz’s themes.
Between 2000 and 2017, Everhart launched multiple large-scale exhibitions such as Cracking Up, Boom Shaka Laka Laka, Crashing The Party, and Rolling With The Homies. His print series with Limelight Publishing expanded his reach and introduced mixed media editions to collectors worldwide.
In 2013, NBC's Today Show featured his work in a six-minute segment. By 2016, his retrospective RAW premiered in Beverly Hills and introduced the start of Waves of Influence—a powerful series reflecting personal and artistic inspirations.
Everhart's journey continues with impactful exhibitions like Sleeping Beauties and Waves and Bubble Baths. His works articulate an emotional connection to life, legacy, and visual storytelling through the lens of Schulz's iconic characters. Today, he remains dedicated to exploring the boundary of comic art and contemporary expression.
Tom currently splits his time between studios in Venice, California and French Polynesia, continuing to create, inspire, and celebrate the expressive potential of Schulz's universe through modern artistry.