Finance king enters his bronze age

By Rob Virtue on August 21, 2008 1:00 PM |

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THOMAS Ostenberg was once making important financial deals, but he’s now more likely to be found making bronze models.

Thomas was vice-president at Citigroup in Brazil and later Spain in the period following Franco’s death, before he became disenchanted with the work.

What happened next was the beginning of a long road towards making it as a bronze sculptor, including many long hours perfecting his work at the AB and Bronze Age foundries in Docklands.

Next month, after many international exhibitions, the American-born artist is bringing his work back to London for a show organised by A Gallery at Pall Mall beginning on September 4.

Thomas said his colleagues in the financial world were shocked by his change in direction, from finance to art.

He said: “I didn’t announce what I was doing but went about it rather quietly. As the years passed and I ran into people, the word ‘brave’ was used, which I don’t accept, as it just seemed the most natural thing to do.
“As my reputation as an artist grows, I am amused at former colleagues and classmates, who are now CEOs and CFOs, when they introduce me as their hero.”
Now an established artist Thomas says he has no regrets about leaving the business world, where he saw some “ruthless dismissals, both above and below my level”.

He was offered a package to quit and took it, remaining in Spain as a financial consultant.

Soon Thomas decided to follow his true love and enrolled at an art school. He then went to The Royal College of Art in London. There he used the Docklands foundries.

Thomas said: “They are both very professional and provide a good service.
“I have been around and observed the radical change the Docklands has gone through since I first moved to London in 1994.
“I would say that this drive to develop has had some impact on my artistic language.”

Go to www.agallery. co.uk