“After studying jazz and ethnomusicology, I found myself as a professional musician which is what I had always wanted. But, I also found myself very unhappy about the music I had to play to survive. I started getting really into experimental music and wanted to create music in that setting but it’s very hard to make a living in the genre so I had to play commercial music to make ends meet. Five nights a week of playing music that you’re really not into leaves you drained. I had less and less time for my creative outlet musically. So, I went to the paint store and purchased and bunch of paints, brushes and canvases. That how it all started”
Thomas has been painting for the last ten years with no formal training. His paintings are generally abstract and very texture based. After a few years of straight painting he moved on to other areas of visual art including; collage, found object art, sculpture and often combines all of these elements into a work. His recent works are a reflection of his personal life; struggles from within, conflicts from outside, modern politics, pop culture, and consumerism. Essentially he creates commentaries of the world around him. Many of the works include found objects incorporated into the canvas, metal or wood that he usually uses. His works are in private collections throughout the United States.
After two years of curating shows around New York City, Thomas opened “SPREAD ART” in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in February of 2008. SPREAD Art exists as an artist run creative incubator designed to foster new works by visiting artists through a residency program which occurs four times a year, and concludes with an exhibition of their new work. In between residencies, SPREAD Art exhibits emerging artists in both solo and group shows and throughout the year SPREAD Art hosts performances, special events and creative workshops for the public to enjoy.
You can visit Spread Art at: www.spreadart.org
