GWEN THOMASMy mother once told me that when I became old enough to hold a color crayon I started drawing and coloring. She would spread down a grocer's large brown paper bag on the kitchen floor along with a large box of color crayons and I would be occupied for hours. By the time I reached first grade I would quickly finish my assignments and fill in the margins with drawings which my teacher loved. One might say I have been a practicing artist for the past 93 years.
While an artist's college education has taught me the elements of art, the principles of design and painting techniques of various mediums. In 1997 I switched from painting with my favored oil paints to watercolor so my daughter and I could travel to watercolor workshops together. I love attending these workshops where one can absorb notable painting improvements in a short period of time from some of today's international Master Artists. My university art background taught me to create an important path from a margin entrance for the viewer to travel throughout the painting enhanced by a light path to lead the eye, and to avoid the use of a single part of a painting being most important or a focal point. The entire painting should hold importance. Noted American painter, Charles Reid, describes his use of this viewpoint as "Effects". He writes, "Effects are places of emphasis where you have the hardest edges and the most value contrast. A center of interest suggests a single part of a painting that's most important. Effects should happen throughout a painting." Painting continues to be a most important part of my life. I aim to capture moments that inspire me, whether it is a traditional arrangement, en plein air painting or painting from my imagination. I find I do my most creative work when I become so immersed in the color flowing from my paintbrush and the design forming on the paper that I am totally unaware of what occurs around me, whether it is people watching, people talking, etc., or merely the passage of time. This intensively focused feeling is so exhilarating that I realize I paint for myself - not to please others and not to sell paintings. Although a sale is a good feeling, too. Perhaps, like many other artists, I paint for that wonderful feeling I receive from painting a picture that I know is well done. And only then do I hope you will like it, too. I am a Signature Member of the Alaska Watercolor Society whose Annual AKWS Watercolor Exhibition paintings are selected by a juror from a worldwide competition. I also participate in Alaska Friends, Alaska Watercolor Society, Kenai Peninsula Art Guild and the Kachemak Bay Watercolor Society of Homer, Alaska. |
All images are the property of the artist and protected by copyright. No image can be used without the written permission of the artist.
I have returned from a wonderful and successful trip to California. Shared photos and newspaper article here.
In February, 2018, when we walked into the Open House celebration of the new location for Frames and Things Art Gallery, it was an unexpected surprise and I was taken aback to see the main gallery wall featured only watercolor paintings by Gwen Thomas. Then “Alaskan Friends”, Jan, noticed mine were the only watercolor paintings by a local artist hanging in the gallery. Awesome! Keeping that wall interesting for customers, I continue to replace a painting each month and when paintings sell.
With a wall holding 30 Art Show Awards earned since moving to Alaska in 2006, I felt most honored to receive a “coveted entry-acceptance of one’s art piece” into the University of Alaska, Anchorage, 25th Annual National "No Big Heads" Juried Self Portrait Exhibition by Juror Alicia Candiani of Argentina.
For the first time in its history an Alaskan would become the national Grand Exalted Ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the United States of America. Incoming Grand Exalted Ruler Michael Luhr and Mrs. Luhr, from Petersburg, Alaska, selected six original Alaskan Landscape Paintings by Gwen Thomas to be printed on Thank You Cards they would hand out to some special member at the Grand Lodge Convention and Grand Exalted Ruler Installation held in San Antonio, Texas, July 2018. I also wrote a very fitting thank you poem which they loved and used in the cards. The pictorial cards were greatly admired with a member request for more.
It was a particular honor in 2010 when Kenai Peninsula College Art Department selected my painting Rose Hips for their invitation cards to their 8th Annual Art Extravaganza Exhibition and requested my original painting of Rose Hips to be donated for auction at their big fund raising event.
All images are the property of the artist and protected by copyright. No image can be used without the written permission of the artist.