Tom of Finland Foundation

Welcome Artist-in-Residence Roko Fearon and his new exhibition, "Lost & Found Fantasies," opening 24th September at TOM House. Learn more: buff.ly/lxWnk1B

Drawing from the Foundation’s archives and his personal history, Roko explores identity, heritage, memory, and artistic experimentation. His residency has taken an unexpected turn from sculpture and illustration into erotic collage, Swedish folk art, and new materials and processes.

Throughout the 1980s, Tom continued creating despite personal loss, the AIDS epidemic and declining health. After being diagnosed with emphysema, the disease and medication caused Tom’s hands to tremble, making it difficult to execute the finely detailed work for which he had become famous.

He returned to a childhood favorite, pastels, creating a richly colored series of nudes in the medium. Tom always insisted his work was about more than sex: “I work very hard to make sure that the men I draw having sex are proud men having happy sex!”

Did you know? Tom's favorite character, Kake, was created to show that masculinity isn't defined by sexual roles. Whether giving or receiving pleasure, Kake remained confident, powerful, and unmistakably masculine.

In 1957, a laughing lumberjack appeared on the cover of "Physique Pictorial" and introduced the world to Tom of Finland.

What began as private drawings shared with a magazine grew into one of the most influential bodies of Queer art in history. Today, Tom of Finland Foundation preserves and celebrates this legacy, ensuring Tom’s work continues to inspire generations to come.

Life Drawing returns to TOM House for an afternoon celebrating male beauty and the human form. Featuring Charles Ryan McCrory and hosted by Rex Kung, artists of all experience levels are invited to draw from the live figure in Tom of Finland’s historic home. 🎟️: buff.ly/dfHZyZE

Tom grew up surrounded by Finland's rugged countryside. The farmers and loggers who worked the forests embodied a quiet strength that stayed with him for life.

Bringing together works by Tom of Finland and more than seventy artists, "Tom’s Stretch" explores the enduring reach of Tom’s legacy. By channeling private fantasy into virtuosic drawings, Tom created a libidinal realm where freedom and pleasure were the reigning tenets.

TOM drew men who smiled, who worked, who rode bikes, who loved each other openly as life itself, portraying Queer existence without apology.

While Tom of Finland’s hypermasculine style is iconic today, his 1940s homoerotic comics went unpublished for years and were shared only in secret. These panels are from one of those clandestine works, marking his early place in Queer comic history.

"Queer as Comics" celebrates 80 years of LGBTQIA+ comic-making. Learn more: buff.ly/jN4DCxY

What’s often overlooked is the intention behind TOM's work: Every line reflects his proud belief that Queer people deserve to exist openly and without shame.

Collage Art-Making Workshops have brought together artists, friends, and community members. Don’t miss this afternoon of creativity and connection, where you’ll create and take home a one of a kind artwork. SIGN UP FOR 14th JUNE: buff.ly/yDEvi0C

🌈 WeHo Pride 🌈 Come find us at the Tom of Finland Foundation booth all weekend for swag, smiles, and a little leather mischief. Event Dates: 6th-7th June 2026 Street Fair Hours: 12–8p Location: Los Angeles (Santa Monica Blvd between Palm and Hancock) Interested in volunteering? Continue reading ⬇️

Through the work of Tom of Finland Foundation, that legacy continues to be preserved, protected, and shared with new generations of artists, leathermen, and Queer communities around the world.