Bermuda Day Grand Marshal 2013 – The Colours, Sights and Sounds of Bermuda
Mr. Tom Butterfield was born 21 November 1948. He was educated at the Bermuda High School for Girls, Warwick Academy, St. Andrew’s College and Ryerson University where he earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree (Hons.).
Mr. Butterfield has been the recipient of several awards including the Canada Council Grant for the Arts in 1979, the Queen’ Badge and Certificate in 1988. The Bermuda Arts Council Patron’s Award in 2008 and the BELCO Tourism VIP Award. He was awarded an MBE in 2011.
Tom has always held great belief in the human spirit and as such developed a positive attitude, seeking solutions instead of problems.
When Tom returned to Bermuda in 1980, he immediately immersed himself in local politics, being appointed Chairman of thee Pembroke North Central branch of the UBP. He also offered his services to the Department of Culture, organizing their Heritage Month exhibitions. Out of one of these exhibitions in 1986 the idea for a ‘Masterworks’ collection of artwork inspired by Bermuda was born.
Tom has been a staunch supporter of the local art community, investing in the work of well-known and some not so well-known local artists. With his keen artistic eye, he has been able to spot talent and has helped when possible. Tom made sure that part of the Masterworks’ mission involved nurturing Bermudian artists, young and old. Indeed the ‘Artists Up Front Street’ programme and the present ‘Artist in the Garden’ series were his brainchildren, spawned by the belief that artists should not only be creative, but ultimately responsible for their own welfare.
As a patron of the arts in Bermuda, he has been attentive to development, supportive of education and cognizant of the fact that every artist needs a sympathetic ear to hear their concerns and ideas. Tom has always been attentive to these. His legacy will be found in the Masterworks collection of Bermuda-inspired art work as well as that of many aspiring Bermudian artists who he has nurtured both monetarily and philosophically.
Tom also created two overseas Bermuda Boards for Masterworks:
The USS Board Friends of Masterworks Inc. andThe Canadian Board the Bermudiana Foundation of Canada.
He was guest speaker at Guild Hall in London 2011.
