Thomas Arnold McGlynn was born in San Francisco, CA on March 29, 1878. As a youth McGlynn was active with the Columbia Park Boys Club (a precursor of Boy Scouts) for which he contributed artwork and served as editor for their first magazine.

At about 13 an accident crushed his back making him dependent on crutches and canes for the rest of his life; however, he never allowed them to interfere with his art career. In 1899 he entered the local School of Design and studied there for many years on scholarships. At that school Arthur Mathews became his mentor and later appointed him chief designer for Mathews' Furniture Shop from 1906-18.

He taught for 27 years in the San Francisco school system and for a short time at UC B

Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Interview with the artist or his/her family; Plein Air Painters (Ruth Westphal); American Art Annual 1917; Who's Who in American Art 1938-41.

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