The first week of the summer studio

6/19/2023

vector trace of photo of chicken wire sculpture 2023 sketch

My first week at the summer studio at the old Berwick fire house is all about settling into a new routine...trying to just show up and work and not put too much pressure on myself to create magic...just show up and put pen to paper or paint to canvas....or ....wire to camera?

I think I'm going to like it here...and I think I'm already sad that it may end someday, I haven't had the best luck with studio spaces in this area.
I'm booked in this space for the summer, I've applied for grants to stay, but having lived in poverty for most of my adult life, I have that constant attached and aching fear that this will be too short lived for me to complete a proper body of work.
For now, I will make the most of it for every second it lasts!

in my natural habitat

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Erin Thomas

Excerpts from:
Ask Me About My Art / 2020

Where does your inspiration come from?
"Everywhere! That's a bit of a tough question because inspiration is fluid and constantly evolving and it changes minute to minute, hour by hour. I could be passionate about circles one day and trip over a rock and obsess about the color of that particular rock for a decade. It's a constant surprise for me, that's what makes life, and art... interesting and beautiful."

What is your creative process?
"Well, that might be an entire separate book! I guess the simple answer is that I dump the things that clutter my brain into art so I can make room to upload all the new things."

What medium do you primarily work in?
"Depends on the subject, the colors I am drawn to that day, the subject I'm looking at and whatever it is that is inspiring me at that moment...I use whatever tool necessary to best convey the story, image, or message. I do seem to have a comfort level with acrylic on canvas, written word or digital photography, I frequently lean on and return to those tools after trying a few other things."

Are there specific techniques that you use in your work?
"I suppose in a way, I have created my own techniques over the years, I do have some art school & materials training, but my goal with art has always been how to get what's in my head into a more firm or permanent reality... translating what I see when I close my eyes, I've always wondered what thoughts looked like and how color smells, I like to creatively name things and see all their angles... those things drive me. I've never really loved replicating reality or deep diving technical skills because the kind of art I'm after is more born from the rawness of coming straight from a thought to paper."

Erin Thomas is an artist living in Southern Maine
EMAIL ERIN THOMAS

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