BA Thomas

BA Thomas
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

STATEMENT

As an independent artist, I am constantly creating out of my convictions. My work hinges on both texture and tension, weaving particular strains of human suffering and symbolic imagery into cerebral works that confront my viewer with curious reality. Using multiple mediums to engage my viewer, my work reveals emotion through the implementation of allusive and writhing visual languages, relying upon my viewer’s mental archive to consciously or subconsciously influence their interpretation of my work. Creating these gritty confrontations is how I process my own womanhood, my humanity, and the world around me, but through sharing my work, I aim to bring my viewer into that dialogue and discovery, encouraging inquisitive awareness, conviction, and change.

My collage work, specifically, comes from a place of intellectual emotion. Usually sparked by anger, my desire to understand how I fit into the world as a woman requires me to delve into topics like biblical womanhood, sexual assault, and assumed gender roles with curiosity and determination. This leads me to not only flip through books and magazines for physical materials, but also to research these particular topics for context, applicable symbolism, and societal awareness. I sift through my visual and intellectual research to pose questions for my viewer and let them into my experience, connecting them to their own emotions and vulnerability through my own.

BIO

My name is BA Thomas and I’m an independent artist working out of my home in Indianapolis, Indiana. I graduated in 2015 from a small liberal arts school called Covenant College in Tennessee, and shortly after, I began an internship at the arts-focused Harrison Center here in Indy. I’ve worked a few part-time jobs over the last 6 years, but have continuously kept my art practice as the main focus of my career, periodically holding studios at the Harrison Center and 201 Studios through November of 2020. Collage and digital illustration are my mediums of choice, though I occasionally work with various mediums to keep my practice fresh. I’ve participated in a number of group shows throughout the Indianapolis art scene since 2015, completed two murals and one public art display. I’ve also exhibited my work solo at least once a year since 2017. Recently, I’ve had interviews featured on Wilder Collage and the Arts to Hearts Project focusing on my collage work and studio practices. I continue my work with the immense support of my patrons, my husband, and my sweet cat.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
www.baartworks.weebly.com

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