Tom Lloyd was born in south St. Louis, Missouri during the 30s. His early years in school included knitting helmet liners for the troops in WWII. (But his favorite activity at that time was collecting paper and scrap metal for the war effort.) He attended college and became an architect. After designing one too many hotels, Tom embarked on a career as a consultant in international tourism development and marketing. Tom has a long hands-on construction history, redoing several houses and making bookcases for everyone in the family. Then, by chance, he enrolled in a wood carving class offered by the Northern Virginia Woodcarvers Club. Those evenings spent carving scottie dogs and pigs worked their “magic.” He went on to master carved chicken boxes, crafted Shoe-flies (children's rockers) and a very large horse on wheels.   At some point Tom began to make toys move. First perhaps a stray cat or dog. Today he concentrates on Sumo automata in his small workroom/Washington, DC.

Three of Tom's Sumos are part of the permanent collection of the Funique House Museum in Seoul Korea.

Eight of Tom's Sumos are featured in a show at Shire Hall Gallery in Stafford, England.  November 17, 2007-January 6, 2007.