Tommy Hollenstein
Tommy Hollenstein is an American abstract impressionist painter and found object sculptor. A lifelong quadriplegic, Hollenstein has become a highly respected disabled artist who utilizes the tires of his wheelchair instead of traditional painting methods to create his works. Hollenstein has numerous celebrity and art collector patrons, and his art has appeared in numerous private and public installations throughout the United States. He is also involved in philanthropy, donating paintings and the proceeds of his sales to numerous charitable organizations. Biography Hollenstein, the son of a restaurateur father and an ex-Marine Corps mother, was raised in Canoga Park, in the San Fernando Valley region of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. As a young man, Hollenstein was an enthusiast of extreme sports, and enjoyed skateboarding, surfing, and mountain biking. He took an interest in the arts as well, making his first inroads into artistic work in creating edible art from watermelons. He also trained to become a private detective. On March 10, 1985, Hollenstein was involved in a bicycling accident that broke his neck, causing him to become a C4/C5 quadriplegic and confining him to a wheelchair. While recovering from the injury, Hollenstein was introduced to mouth stick painting, which he