Seascape artist Tom Baldauf celebrated his 100th birthday this month, surrounded by friends and family at his home in Point Loma.
He was joined by representatives of Democratic Rep. Scott Peters, who presented Baldauf with a commendation to honor his long life’s accomplishments – including years of military service and several public arts achievements.
He was also gifted a congressional commemorative coin to keep.
“As veterans reach their centennial birthday, there are so many stories they can tell, and so much that they’ve accomplished in their lives,” said Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Peters’ Veterans Affairs Field Representative.
“(Rep. Peters) finds it important to honor as many as possible. When we found out about his birthday, we wanted to make sure this happened.”
Known for his vibrant paintings of California beaches and bays, Baldauf recently had his artwork chosen for display in an exhibit at the Hervey Point Loma Library.
However, he didn’t pick up the paintbrush until later in his life, having spent much of his early years fighting on the front lines of war.
Back in the 1940s, a young Baldauf was eager to graduate from Merchant Marine Academy and join the war efforts during World War II.
After the war ended, he soon found himself back on the battlefield as a Navy Lieutenant, as the start of the Korean War interrupted his studies at the University of Miami.
While stationed in San Diego, he met his future wife Janet Baxter, and the two would settle down in Point Loma. Together, they founded the Federal Printing Company, running the press for 30 years.
“They were a doubles team on the tennis court, in the printing business and in their many adventures with family and friends,” Steve Grossman, Baldauf’s son-in-law said during a toast.
Baldauf’s journey as an artist began on a whim – during a tennis holiday in Palm Springs.
After noticing a painting on the wall of a condo he was staying at, he challenged himself to create something similar, marking the start of a 60-year career as an artist.
In Point Loma, he studied under Robert L. Fritsch to hone his abstract technique.
Inspired by artist Luc Leestemaker, he began to mix raw pigment powder into acrylic paint for added texture in his own ocean landscapes.
Baldauf has also contributed to several public arts initiatives, including the creation of the Maple Creek Gallery, an artists collective in Little Italy.
Most recently, he donated seven of his artworks to non-profits for them to auction as fundraisers, which his daughter Jill Baldauf described as “one of his most fulfilling projects.”
At his birthday party, friends and family celebrated his achievements in the arts, with Grossman assuring guests that “Saturdays have always been – and will always remain – Tom’s painting days.”
Grossman concluded his toast with a nod to a longstanding family tradition: affirming they would all reunite again five years from now, marking Baldauf’s 105th birthday.
“Tom always found ways to live and love the best in life, whether it was in the ocean on a sailboat on, or on a tennis court, or in a river barge in Europe,” Grossman said.
“I’m honored to be here celebrating a life well lived, at least so far.”
