‘Bald Eagle,’ by Thomas Maddrey, 2007. 13.5 x 22.75" Digital Photography. Displayed in the Foyer of the Swann Wellness Center. 

After college, ESD alum Thomas Maddrey '00 became a nature and wildlife photographer for almost a decade, selling the incredible images he took to publications and stock photo platforms, as well as out of his gallery in Deep Ellum. For eight years Tom also ran photography trips to Alaska, taking 6-12 people at a time into the wilderness of places like Kenai Fjords National Park. On one of these trips, Tom shot the image of the ‘Bald Eagle,’ that you can view on your left as you step into the foyer of the Swann Wellness Center.  

Tom remembers an ESD much different from the one we know now with our beautiful John and Jennifer Eagle Gallery in the Susan M. Frank building. Tom was here when the art department was within the main schoolhouse building and he remembers a tiny darkroom and a fun and memorable photography teacher, Ms. Janis Hefley. Their art classes were small and Tom speaks fondly of glass artist Carlyn Ray '00 being in the same graduating class. One of Ray's glass sculptures is hanging near Tom's photograph, situated above you as you walk into the foyer of the Swann Wellness Center.

Tom is now an attorney and the founder of Maddrey PLLC, an art law firm based in Dallas.

A special thanks to ESD’s Art Cataloger Janis Hefley for her continued work in obtaining and correlating information about our artworks.

This piece was gifted to Father Swann by Thomas Maddrey in 2015.