The mist, fog and clouds provide an ever-changing atmosphere that allows for broad interpretations of “landscape” at various moments of encounter. In general, my work is a direct response to the environment and in multiple ways those environmental qualities filter into the work consciously and unconsciously.
— Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas begins every day with a walk along Mendocino’s jagged coastal cliffs. Back in his studio, impressions collected on these outings are translated into images seen in “Illuminations”. With his atmospheric paintings and elegant calligraphy, Thomas takes us on a journey from the images of coastal fog and soaring hawks to the beauty and precision of introspective calligraphy. Thomas’ paintings explore the subtle complexities of the natural world using color, light, texture and pattern, while calligraphy explores his philosophical and meditative soul. In this exhibition Thomas’ recent fascination with contemporary calligraphy will offer a glimpse into his profound engagement with, and respect for, the art of giving form to letters and signs in an expressive, harmonious, and highly skilled manner.
Larry Thomas’s work is included in the collections of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, SFMOMA, the National Museum of American Art in Washington D.C. as well as numerous public and private collections. He is the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowships and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art SECA Award. Among his many awards and accomplishments, he has been a visiting scholar in residence at the American Academy in Rome, a resident artist at the Djerassi Resident Artists Program and the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. Thomas was a professor of art for many years at the San Francisco Art Institute where he also served as dean of academic affairs and interim president. He lives and works in Fort Bragg, California.
THis exhibition, which ran in The Studio from October 19 to November 25, 2018 was curated by Kate Eilertsen.
