Thomas, Adam
Silver Linings Statement
Nature has always inspired my work. The journey to my current paintings simply started out with me painting trees and clouds very loosely, while pulling the viewer into the scene. As I became more confident, my pieces became more and more realistic. Today, I am on a new path of abstracting nature with the same goals: creating depth and contrasts. Some pieces are abstracted landscapes and cloudscapes, while others are reflections of nature in water, reminiscent of Monet's water lily paintings. Using a wax medium, I layer on color with a pallet knife and remove, then reapply. I find the bold texture adds another level of depth to my work.
Ascend Statement
Working primarily with oil paint and encaustic, Adam Thomas’s new series explores influence, grief, and transformation. Reflecting on the passing of so many iconic musicians over the past year, and after a trip to Paris to view Jasper John’s #5 painting, his inspiration coalesced. Upon returning home to Chicago, Mr. Thomas immersed himself in creating a new exhibition that employs movement, depth, light and shadow to form bold and masterful paintings. Scrupulously applying abstract pallet knife work over the surface layers, Adam Thomas deftly juxtapozes delicate figurative elements, such as birds in flight. Many musicians are featured in the exhibition, whereas Mr. Thomas collages sheet music into the very groundwork of his paintings, lyrics rise up from the depths, including Prince, Leonard Cohen, and David Bowie.
BIO
In January of 2004, I left a job in corporate marketing to make a living as a pastel pet portrait artist. That December I started painting with oils and got into my first gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, in February of 2005. I started doing restaurant shows and picking up galleries in other cities like Palm Desert, CA, and Pine, AZ. I moved to Atlanta, GA, in July of 2007 after the recession hit and found new galleries both there and in Highland, NC. After meeting the love of my life in January of 2010, I moved to the southwest corner of Michigan and cultivated new business relationships there and in Chicago, IL, where we eventually moved to at the end of 2013. Today, I have an art rep/agent, work with many high-end designers and design firms/showrooms, and have gallery representation in Saugatuck, Dallas, and Nashville.
Education
Center for Creative Studies, BFA Program 1988 - 1990
Gallery Representation
Art One Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ 2005 - 2007
The Little Big Gallery, Desert Palms, CA 2005 - 2007
Blue's Gallery, Pine, AZ 2006 - 2007
John Collette Fine Art Gallery, Highlands, NC 2009 - 2010
Fine Line Gallery, Atlanta, GA 2007 - 2009
Lansing Art Gallery, Lansing, MI 2010 - 2012
Leigh Gallery, Chicago, IL 2010 - 2013
Daniel Kinkade Fine Art 2011 - present
Michael Taylor at the Chicago Merchandise Mart 2013 - present
Dallas Design Center, Dallas, TX 2013 - present
Roan and Black, Saugatuck, MI 2014 - present
The Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN 2016- Present
Shows
Art One, Group Show, Phoenix, AZ 2005
Zest Restaurant, One Man Show, Phoenix, AZ 2005
Art One, Group Show, Phoenix, AZ 2006
Zest Restaurant, One Man Show, Phoenix, AZ 2006
Fine Line Gallery, One Man Show, Atlanta, GA 2008
Art Walk, Big House, Atlanta, GA 2009
Fine Line Gallery, Group Show, Atlanta, GA 2009
Lake Forest Show House, Lake Forest, IL 2011
Garden Show at Her Way Designs, New Buffalo, MI 2011
Olivet College, One Man Show, Olivet, MI 2011
Uncommon Ground, One Man Show, Chicago, IL 2011
Buchanan Art Center, One Man Show, Buchanan, MI 2012
Out Center Art Hop, Benton Harbor, MI 2012
Art Prize, Grand Rapids, MI 2012
Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL 2013
Red Fusion for American Red Cross, Benton Harbor, MI 2013
Lake Forest Art Festival, Lake Forest, IL 2013
Center on Halsted, One Man Show, Chicago, IL 2014
Red Fusion for American Red Cross, Featured Artist, Buchanan, MI 2014
Kalamazoo Art Hop, Kalamazoo, MI 2014
Roan and Black "Landscapes," Saugatuck, MI 2014
Roan and Black "Abstractions," Saugatuck, MI 2014
Roan and Black "Abstracts," Saugatuck, MI 2015
Roan and Black "Snap Shot," a preview pop-up gallery in Chicago, IL 2015
Design District Art Walk, Chicago, IL 2015
Cloudscapes at Appellation, Chicago, IL 2015
Silver Linings, Nashville TN 2016
Press/TV Appearances
Good Morning Arizona, Pet Portrait Segment 2004
Your Life A To Z, 2-Part Pet Portrait Segment 2004
Sonoran Living, Pet Portrait Segment 2004
Arizona Mid-Day, Pet Portrait Segment 2004
Real Housewives of New Jersey on BRAVO 2010, 2011, and 2014
Tabatha's Salon Takeover on BRAVO 2011
Traditional Home Magazine, October 2011
Chicago Fire on NBC (2 episodes) 2012
Boss on STARZ (3 episodes) 2012
Dina's Party on HGTV (3 episodes) 2012
Celebrities At Home on HGTV (2 episodes) 2012
North Shore Magazine, Chicago, IL 2014
Twitter/Instagram photo of Anna Wintour with my work at Nordstrom Vancouver 2015
Notable Installations
Holland Hospital
Zealand Medical Center
Lake Forest Showhouse and Gardens 2011
Northmoor Country Club
Nordstrom Chicago
Nordstrom Seattle
Nordstrom Vancouver
Nordstrom Executive Offices
Nordstrom Vancouver – September 2016
