Flexing her creativity in a wide range of arts, Antoinette Thomas is a one of a kind talent who is accomplished in every thing she does, whether it’s wood-burning, applying makeup, or shooting videos.
Why did you choose visual art out of the many things that you could pursue?
I’ve always made things from a young age. Creating home made comics, photocopying them, then trying to sell them to my friends. To then learning how to draw and paint formally through art classes after school and later in college. It just so happened to be where I gravitated to with the most ease.
Describe what sets your work apart from others in your field.
Right now the medium I’m using stands out a lot. Pyrography (wood burning) is a very tactile craft, and helps me carve the images I create with more intensity since it’s more 3D. The shapes my figures make can also be a little wonky, so they become their own creatures.
Name some of the major artists who have influenced your style.
Audrey Kawasaki definitely informed my way of composing an image of all its shapes and using negative space to its advantage. I also think her painting on wood influenced my decision to use it now (subconsciously). Philip Guston helped me reach for the cartoon shapes my images some times take. And I’d say that Gauguin has a role in how I think about color and its application.
How have you navigated the business side of the art world?
I’m not sure if I’m navigating it just yet to be honest! I get commissions here and there, but for the most part I try to show whatever I’ve come up with that season, ya know,
Your artistry is multifaceted, what are some of things you are doing these days?
Well, as you may remember, I used to dabble as a MUA a while back and helped on various shoots, coming up with concepts, looks, etc. That has now developed into me directing videos! It’s a culmination of the many visual talents I’ve picked up over the years that I did for fun. You should be seeing some stuff from me soon (:
Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
In 5 years I’ll be 31, so I’d like to have sold the bulk of my work and have the rest of it show around the globe. Publish a graphic novel, have a family. In 10 years I’d be 36, so I’d like to see my artwork take a new form altogether! Don’t know what yet, but something else.
What advice would you offer someone who is just starting out?
Procrastination is the devil. Waiting for when you “have more time for your art” will never happen. If it’s not done after work, plotted out between lunches, etc, you will never do a damn thing.
BE’N ORIGINAL
