Background & Experience
Narrative figurative paintings and drawings in oils, pastels and charcoal. Allegorical themes of the human condition. The psychology of interactions, relationships in the family, sexuality and identity.
I work from memory, observation and imagination. Drawing from memories, ideas of situations, time and place. Images that can provoke many thoughts, interpretations and remembrances of connections. Preferring to see the world in apparent movement where neediness is just below the surface bringing with it the sense of possibilities, connections and loneliness. Ways to express states of feelings attempting to give space to contradictions between ‘knowing’ and ‘unknowing’ a mixing of memory and desire.
“ All art is some sense by and about human beings, but Shanti Thomas’s is one of those who works directly with the human image, human relationships, visible and invisible responses to events between human beings. She belongs to England and is at home here but her roots in Italy and India make her English roots different, she may be especially sensitive to feelings of transience, displacement. To represent people she has to find pictorial emblems for them, for the feelings she credits them with, for her own experience of them and the hopes and the fears for them and for herself. Her awareness of art of other times- her ‘museum in the head’, as Malraux named it- has contributed to this. See particularly Veronese’s tense scenes of human relationships and Hokusai’s prints of daily life around Mount Fuji.”
Extract from Norbert Lynton’s essay on ‘Shanti Thomas at Gatwick Airport’ - 1994
Education
1965 School of Signa Simi, Florence, Italy
1965-67 Academy of Fine Arts, Florence, Italy
1971-74 Foundation & BA Fine Arts, Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, London, UK
Awards
1987 G1AA Visual Arts Award to Artists
1989 G1AA Visual Arts Award to Artists
1997-98 Rootstien Hopkins Award to Artists
1999-2000 Visiting Research Fellow -University of East London
One Person Shows
1987 “Paintings and Drawings by Shanti Thomas” - Commonwealth Institute, London
1989 "Leaving" - Homerton Hospital, London, UK (Part of the Around the Whitechapel Gallery Program)
1994 "Journeys" - Conoco Oil Company Headquarters, Warwick
1994 “Shanti Thomas at Gatwick Airport” – residency at Gatwick Airport
1995 Gardiner Center, Sussex University, UK (Part of Brighton Festival).
1999-2000 Visiting Research Fellow - One Person Show, University of East London
Group Exhibitions
1971 Student group show, Camden Arts Center, London
Mixed Group Show, Rosslyn Hill chapel
1982 "Women's Eye" Royal Court Theater, London
1984 "Fertile Eye", Woman's Artist Collective, Brixton Art Gallery, London
1984-5 "The Human Figure", Ikon Gallery Touring Program, Birmingham
Four Person Show, Brixton Art Gallery, London
"London Reflected" Arts work Space, London
Open Studio Show, Barbican Arts Group Studios, London
1986 "Aurat Shakti", Cockpit Theater Gallery, London
Summer Show - Woburn Fine Arts, Woburn, Herts
1987 Athena Art Awards, Barbican Concourse Gallery, Barbican ,London.
1987 "Women in View", Brixton Art Gallery, London.
1987-88 "Critical Realism" (Curated by Brandon Taylor, portraying social realism in the 1980's). Nottingham Castle/Edinburgh/Camden Arts Center
“The Birthday Book”, Smith's Gallery, London (also Rye, Brighton, Richard De Marco Gallery - Edinburgh, Usher Gallery- Lincoln)
South Bank Picture Show, South Bank , London
1988 "Black Art Plotting The Course" (Curated by Eddie Chambers. Portraying Black Figurative Art in the 1980's).
"Dosti" One Spirit Gallery, London
"Were BAG", Brixton Art Gallery, London.
South Bank Picture Show, South Bank,London
Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Gallery, London
"1988 Women's Artist Diary" W.A.S.L, Fumam Palace, London
1989 198 Gallery, Mixed Show ,London
"Ways of Telling", Narrative exhibition, Oriel Mostyn Gallery, Wales.
"V.S.O - Art For Auction", Smith's Gallery, London
"Vision and Practice" (Five Women Artists invited by W.A.S.L), Crypt Gallery, Bloomsbury , London
"The Artist Abroad" (Curated by Eddie Chambers - The Narrative of Travel), Usher Gallery ,Lincoln
Whitechapel Open , Whitechapel Art Gallery
"Inner Language", Ikon Gallery Touring Program, Birmingham
1990 "In Focus1” (Four Women exhibition), Horizon Gallery, London
Wapping Art Show, Art for Offices Gallery, London
"Leicester Schools Exhibition", Leicester
"The Art Machine", Machellan Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
"Let The Canvas Come Alive With Dark Faces" (Curated by Eddie Chambers - Show of Self Portraits), Coventry and South London Gallery
Open Studio Show, Barbican Arts Group Studios, London.
"Discerning Eye" (Invited artist by Odette Gilbert), Mall Gallery, London
1991 "Leicester Schools Exhibition", Leicester
1991 "Circular Dance" (Six Women artists), Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol and Minories, Colchester
1992 "Art For A Fairer World" (Oxfam Touring Exhibition). Glasgow, Cardiff, Smith's Gallery, London
1993 "Journeys" One person Exhibition, Conoco Oil Company H.Q.Warwick.
"Leicester Schools Exhibition" Leicester
Christmas Show, The Wren, St. James Church, Piccadilly, London.
Artist in Residence at Gatwick Airport
1994 "Shanti Thomas at Gatwick Airport", Exhibition and Tour
Gardiner Centre, Sussex University. Hawth Theater, Sussex
1996 "Reflections" Group Show, University of East London
Whitechapel Open Studio Show, London
1997 Arts Council Collection Touring Exhibition, Birmingham University
Arts Council of England H.Q, London
Group Show - Thomas's Day School, Clapham , London
"Art In The Dock" (Two person exhibition, sponsored by Taylor-Woodrow), St. Catherine's Dock
1997-98 Inaugural Group Show, Roc Art Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
1998 Axis Online (http://www.axisartists.org.uk/seCVPG.aspx?ARTISTID=5387)
1999 Group Exhibition, Jazzed Gallery, Winchester
Field Exhibition, Open Studios, London Fields
Hidden Art of Hackney, Open Studios
2000 Rise Phoenix Auction, Satchel’s
2001 Open Studios, Hertford Road Studios, Hackney, London
2003-4 Summer Show, Duncan Street Galleries, Islington, London
Christmas Show, Duncan Street Galleries, London
2004 Mural of Clerkenwell in the 1940's (Commission from EC1.
Display in Finsbury Library, St John's Street, London EC1
Open Studio Show, Hertford Road Studios, London
2005 After Hiroshima (portraying the anniversary of Hiroshima
Auction for the Cancer Unit Charity), School of Oriental and African Studies University, London
Arts Unwrapped Open Studio Show, Hertford Road Studios
Collections
Arts Council of Great Britain
Routledge Press, London
British Airports Authority, Gatwick Airport
Leicester Schools Collection
Publications
“Shanti Thomas at Gatwick Airport” - Catalogue essay by Norbert Lynton
Ikon Touring Catalogues 1984 & 1989
“Black Art Plotting the Course”
“The Artist Abroad”
“Critical Realism”
1988 Women's Artist Diary
"Birthday Book"
"Let the canvas come alive with dark faces"
Arts Council Collection 1987
"Circular Dance"
"Introduction into Oils" - Dorling & Kindersley
"Introduction into Pastels" - Dorling & Kindersley
"Who's who in Art" - 1996, 1993, 1992
"Issues" - University of East London
"Black British Culture & Society" - Routledge 2000
"Beyond Frontiers" - Saffron
"Frontline Backyard" - New Formation
Media Coverage
TV:
1987 "Oi For London”, ITV - Birthday Book exhibition
1989 Anglia Television - Video on Artists in Residence in Schools, Berkshire L.E.A. and A.I.M.S
1992 Arts Program - Circular Dance Touring Exhibition
1993 BBC South East News, Gatwick Airport
Artist in Residence Meridian News
British Satellite News, Gatwick Airport Residency,
"Nightshift" - Carlton, Gatwick Airport Residency
“Pier”, Meridian Arts Program - Gatwick Airport Residency
1994 Meridian News - Gatwick Airport Residence
“The Colour of Britain", Channel 4, Homi Barber
2001 "Backstage", Artsworld, Digital Channel - East End Art
Radio:
1996 BBC Radio London- Coverage of exhibition at Commonwealth Institute
1993 Kaleidoscope, BBC Radio Four – Coverage of Gatwick Residency
Bloomberg Radio, New York - Coverage of Gatwick Residency
BBC Radio Sussex - Coverage of Gatwick Residency
Greater London Radio – Coverage of Gatwick Residency
Radio Mercury – Coverage of Gatwick Residency
1997 The Learning World, BBC World Service - Artists in schools
Art Press, National and Local Newspapers:
1987 Sunday Times Arts Review by David Lee - show at Commonwealth Institute
City Limits, Mark Currah
Arts Rage
Indian Mail
Asian Times
Mufti
1989 Arts Review - review of Artist Abroad
Arts Review - review of Critical Realism
City Limits Magazine - review of In Focus
Guardian - review of Open Studio Shows
1991-2 Spare Rib - review of Circular Dance
Women's Review - review of Circular Dance
1993 The Guardian - Gatwick Airport Artist in Residence
Daily Telegraph - India Mail
Brighton Argos, Crawly Times - BAA Take Off, Gatwick News
1998 Issues - Featured Artist and article
1998 Frontline Backyard - Journal of articles following conference at Mixed
Race Conference at Institute of Education.
2004 Islington Tribune - coverage of Mural Project of 1940's in Clerkenwell.
Islington Gazette
EC1 Bulletin
Lectures, Teaching and Work Experience
1980-87 Community workshops for young women (18-21 yrs), Women's Therapy Centre, Manor Gardens, London - I.L.E.A.
Responsibilities included:
Youth Service Posters and Graphic Designs, video, t-shirts etc.
Also outreach worker Young women referrals from Whittington Hospital and day centers. Haringey Play Service.
General art workshops painting murals and art skills for children aged 5-11 yrs
1984 Open Studio visit; Pre Foundation Students tutored by Avis Newman
1987 Slide Lecture - Chelsea School of Art
Liberating Life Drawing - A series of life drawing classes for women. Run by Rita Keegan, Roxanne Palmer, Francoise Dupre and myself.
Self-Portraiture Workshops for Women - Lambeth Adult Ed.
Self-Portraiture Workshops for Schools at Black Art Gallery, Islington.
1988 Slide Lecture - St. Mathews's Meeting Place
Speaker at Black and Asian Arts Conference - Oldham Art Gallery
1988-90 Life Drawing and Portraiture Classes twice weekly for a year -Adult Ed
Painting Workshops for children 5-11 yrs - Lauderdale House, Highgate, London
1989 Artist in Residence at Brackenhale School, Bracknell, Berkshire. Studio and worked with G.C.S.E. students - Funded by AEMS
Arts Council and Gaulbenkien Project video and documentation.
Slide Lecture and workshop on Personal Narratives, Women's Art Studies Lambeth A.E.I.
Residence at Bayliss Court Girl's Secondary School, Slough, Berks
Studio and working on theme of The Journey with 2nd year and GCSE yrs. Funded by AEMS/arts Council -Gulbenkien
1989-90 Visiting Tutor-B.A. Painting, Byam Shaw School of Art, London
1990 Talk at MA Seminar debating my work - Chelsea School of Art
One Week Workshop, A.C.E. Project, top juniors, Teacher's Centre,
Weston-Super-Mare. Theme Durga - a continuous narrative in Pastel.
Two-week workshop on Diwali in pastels - 1st year juniors - Wiltshire ACE Project
(Artists from Commonwealth in Education- based at Commonwealth Institute then Institute of Education)
Slide Lecture for AIMS and Arts Council ,two day conference at Commonwealth Institute
1991 Slide Lecture at "Different Voices" AEMS - Gill Gallery , Newham
Slide Lecture on Figuration, part of Modern Movements at Arnorfini Gallery
Artists Panel Discussion at Arnolfini Gallery on exhibition "Circular Dance"
One Week Workshop, Museum of Mankind, ACE Project. Top juniors
Westminster LEA on Rickshaw Art. Exhibition at Institute of Education and Museum of Mankind.
One Week Workshop, ACE Project with top juniors, ST. Michael-On -The-Mount, Bristol. Narrative on Life of Buddha - exhibition at Watershed Bristol.
Two day Workshop - In Service Training for Heads of Centre (Further Education) on Cultural Diversity. Wandsworth
One Week Workshop, ACE Project - Top Juniors Bath
1991-97 On the Board of Directors of African and Asian Visual Artists Archives (A.A.V.A.A.).
Responsibilities included: Liaised with Arts Council of Great Britain for Revenue Funding and Project Funding. In 1994, negotiated the housing of the
archives at University of East London, where it is currently situated. Managing staff, interviewing candidates, overseeing budgets and projects.
Compiling and preparing remit and guidelines for funding bodies.
Present Directors employed by A.A.V.A.A. - Sonia Boyce and David A.Bailey. Previous Directors; Eddie Chambers, Rita Keegan1992 Artist Talk (Sightline) on Living Wood, Whitechapel Gallery.
One Week Workshop - ACE Project with GCSE Students, Weston-Super-Mare. Including Exhibition at Institute of Education.
Commission for Routledge Press - 4ft x 5FT Pastel Drawing for Book Cover. Work on display at Routledge Press.
Workshops on Self Portraits in Pastel with Top Juniors Islington LEA.
1993-4 Artist in Residence Gatwick Airport. The brief "Comings and Goings of Passengers". Studio and exhibition at airport .Workshops for Gatwick Staff.
1994 One Week Workshop ACE Project with Top Juniors, Institute of Education, London University.
Using BM's exhibition of Japenese Woodcuts and Hokasai's series on The Pilgrimage to Mount Fuji the students produced pastel drawings.One week workshop in Yorkshire with GCSE students. Theme: Pastel drawing on Vishnu in the Cosmic Milky Ocean creating the Universe.
Visiting Tutor Fine Arts BA and MA, Manchester Polytechnic.
Slide Lecture for L.A.A.D.E. at British Museum. Talk on Artists in education for an audience of Art Teachers and Heads of Departments.
Residency at St Marys Primary School, Hackney. Workshops with Top Juniors, Exhibition at Town Hall. Work on Creation of the Universe.
1996 Slide lecture at Frontlines/Backyard Conference Institute of Education
1997 Residency at Tyssen Primary School, Hackney (age group 5-6). Theme: A Mural on panels in acrylic tempera on Nancy the spiderman, a West Indian folktale.
32 Feet long mural installed in playground, opened by Diane Abbot, MPLife Drawing Tutor at Camden Arts Centre - Adult Education.
1998 Visiting Research Fellow at University of East London. (Two year fellowship research on my work).
1999 “Hidden Art of Hackney” festival - Eight workshops in three schools and one nursery. (Colveston, Downside and Jubilee Primary Schools. Comet Nursery).
Theme : local architecture. Watercolour and mixed media.
Works displayed at Hackney Empire, Hackney Mosque, local public transport network and Hoxton Clock tower.
2000 Residency at Orchard Primary School, Hackney. Two Murals in Tempera Acrylic, one panoramic mural of London, the other a class self-portrait.
Exhibited at the Barbican Gallery Education Room. Workshop included a school visit to the Barbican's Picaso and
Photography exhibition where we looked at and drew from figurative and cubist works2001 Self Portraiture -Ten day workshops in pastel, St Joan of Arc School, Islington (Age group: 8-9 )
Water Colour Workshops, Canon Palmer School, Romford, Essex – (Age group: GCSE students).
2002 Still Life - Residency and Workshop, Rotherfield School, Islington. Media: Acrylics. (Age group: 9-10)
2004 20 foot Mural Project, St Luke's Centre, Islington. Theme: Clerkenwell during World War 2. (Age group: Senior Citizens). Displayed at Finsbury Library, Islington.
Workshop, Rotherfield School Islington,London. Theme: Self Portraits in Acrylics. (Age group: 9-10)
2005 Banners project for New Deal, London. Theme: Summer in London. Media: Felt tips and pastels.
Displayed at Hugh Myddleton School, London.
Copyright © Shanti Thomas, 1964-2006. All rights reserved. The copyright and original material on this web site is owned by Shanti Thomas and protected by the copyright laws of the United Kingdom and worldwide statutory bodies.
