Born in 1966, Tommy Crow originally comes from Cunumulla, in South West Queensland. During his younger years, Tommy lived a traditional life in the bush, hunting with the elders of the Mardgany people. His father was a stockman and his mother worked in a shop in Cunumulla. As a child, Tommy and his family lived on the outskirts of Cunumulla, using traditional methods of cooking bush foods over the campfires.

After his parents passed away, Tommy moved to Toowoomba in South East Queensland to complete a four-year apprenticeship in spray painting. After completing his apprenticeship, Tommy travelled around North and Central Queensland, working as he went. It wasn't until 1992 that he finally settled in Alice Springs to paint artworks that he learnt from his uncle, who lives in Charleville Queensland.