Early Life, Family and Training J. C. Thom entered the world on March 22, 1835, in New York City. He was born into a family where the hands were accustomed to shaping form; his father, James Thom, was a sculptor, and his mother was Jessie Thom. Growing up in this environment, the young artist was surrounded by the tactile realities of creation from his earliest years. His formal path toward painting began in earnest during his youth.…