Artist’s Statement

“For years I lamented ‘the lack of a colorful, strongly-defined, personal cultural heritage from which I could draw inspiration for my artwork.’   I felt cheated I was not Mexican or Native American or African or Japanese or SOMETHING definitive.  My mostly Scots-Irish, Welsh, Swedish, and lord-knows-what-else homogenous mixture seemed so bland I thought no one could possibly see anything of interest in it.  However, come to understand that it’s only ordinary to me because I know it so well and it is the fiber from which I am made.  I make art about what I know, and what I know is what I have lived—home, motherhood, family, and friends.The subject matter I choose is frequently common; many times the images I use are personal symbols for my own experiences and understandings chosen from that “bland” background.  Some of these symbols are indeed universal, although I don’t believe perception and interpretation for any two people can possibly be identical.  My work tells the story of my experience.  I feel that the piece is successful if it also tells a story for someone else—even if that story is not the same as my internal version of it.

Brenda G. Thomas, Wishbone

As for medium…  I’m afraid I suffer from my 35+ years of being a visual arts educator, a job which has required me to be a generalist.  I’ve been required to teach all media, and I really love most of them!  When asked, I usually give the short answer of “painter” to describe the kind of art I produce.  But I do not limit myself; I also work frequently with graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, and a variety of experimental printmaking processes.  Probably the most exciting by-product of my generalist background is mixed media; I don’t hesitate to use whatever best tells my story.  And I believe that my mixed media pieces are the truest representation of how my mind works.”

Brenda G. Thomas lives in Frisco, where she has a home studio. She is #17 on the tour MAP.   You can see her online portfolio at www.brendagthomas.com.