Thomas Hackney, a Well-Known and Highly Respected Sheriff’s Office Supervisor

Tom Hackney was an esteemed sheriff’s office supervisor. Beginning as an explorer with the police force, he quickly rose through the ranks until becoming a homicide investigator.

Hackney transforms Marcel Duchamp’s chess games into vibrant geometric abstractions through his paintings. Viewers can either take in these battles quickly or explore them more deeply.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Hackney was born in Russell County, Virginia and relocated to Pike County by 1820. On September 21 or 22, 1842 he married Frances Hurley; both are interred at Mouthcard Childress Cemetery.

At an early age, he started working for Hackney Brothers firm and delivering refrigerated trucks to Durham. Over four decades later he became President of Wilson branch.

Corresponding Squares features paintings by British artist Tom Hackney that interpret Marcel Duchamp’s chess games into vibrant geometric abstractions. Additionally, photographs, periodicals and works of art related to Duchamp’s legacy will also be on display – this being Hackney’s inaugural solo exhibit here in America and organized by Saint Louis Chess Campus with Francis M. Naumann Fine Arts as hosts.

Professional Career

Tom Hackney specializes in photorealism and has shown his works worldwide, receiving the BOC Emerging Artist Award in 2003. Additionally, he is also an award-winning writer and art critic; currently living in an earth-sheltered house of his own design somewhere deep in West Virginia wilderness.

Tom brings decades of trial and litigation experience, representing clients in matters ranging from professional liability suits to bet-the-company commercial disputes. Additionally, he has advised many clients who were under investigation or prosecution by licensing agencies or law enforcement authorities.

After graduating from ACC, he worked for his family business – Hackney Brothers Body Company of Wilson. He became secretary-treasurer in 1946 and president two years later. Additionally, he became actively engaged with civic interests in Wilson by serving on multiple local boards of directors.

Achievement and Honors

His work can be found in numerous private and public collections worldwide. Recent exhibitions of his include Corresponding Squares: Painting the Chess Games of Duchamp at Francis Naumann Fine Art New York and World Chess Hall of Fame St Louis.

He has received many honors and awards throughout his career. These include winning the Goldsmiths MFA degree and being nominated twice for the Turner Prize.

He was recently honored as an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Art. His work has been displayed in over 100 exhibitions globally and published three books with several winning photos as well as multiple awards from photography competitions. Additionally, he served on boards for various organizations while making extensive charitable donations over his lifetime.

Personal Life

Thomas Hackney was an active member of both Warsaw Methodist Church and Wilson County United Methodist Church in North Carolina, as well as Barton College Board of Trustees. He leaves behind his wife Janet Musser Whitaker Hackney; daughters Ann Whitaker Sauls of Raleigh and Virginia Whitaker Kibler Kibler Kibler Kibler (Cave Spring Georgia); two sons Thomas Jennings Hackney III of Wilson; three grandchildren: Emily Mary Jackson Hackneys as well as his sister Elizabeth Williams from Tarboro.

Duchamp was Hackney’s primary source of inspiration for this series, yet she also used other games such as Fischer and Spassky’s groundbreaking 1972 match and Kasparov’s 1996 bout against Deep Blue as sources. Hackney employed black and white format to emphasize patterns found within these matches – similar to pieces in traditional chess sets.

Net Worth

On February 22nd, Hackney Bros. in Wilson, North Carolina was entirely destroyed by fire and its losses are fully covered by insurance – estimated between $100,000-125,000.

Hackney Brothers was once an industry leader in milk route delivery truck business, although that segment eventually declined as consumers preferred making weekly trips to supermarkets instead of home deliveries. By the late 80s, both Hackney Brothers and their competitor Divco closed plants as demand for refrigerated trucks declined significantly.

In 1999, Thomas Hackney became embroiled in an expensive divorce battle with Leigh M. Hackney, his former wife who filed a petition for legal separation and requested custody of their four children as well as child support, alimony and the marital residence.