Linda M. Thomas
Artist Statement:
For several years I have investigated the expressive potential of infant figures in precarious positions and undefined space. I’m particularly interested in the vulnerability inherent in physical and emotional dependence and the potential for the image of a newborn to serve as metaphor for vulnerability. Since a newborn can’t bear the weight of its own head or control its movements, an adult must intervene. An infant is a legitimate ‘figure’ that deserve space on the pages rather than the margins of art history. The challenge is to disassociate infant imagery from habitual associations with motherhood, traditional religious figures, abortion, etc. and to avoid the inherent sweetness and sentimentality.
Form and process are integral to the work; I use line, mark, color etc. to disrupt and dismantle predetermined interpretations. I intend the images to reside at the intersection between abstraction and representation. I reference photographs for the distortions and quality of light. Repeatedly I rely on a visible grid structure to acknowledge the two-dimensional surface.
Historically, piece work (traditional quilt-making process) made it possible for women to complete work on a large scale. As a mother, piece-making has been a way to conquer large-scale work and introduce ritual to the art making process. As pieces are completed and come together the image grows. The 8 ½” x 11” dimension corresponds to the ubiquitous paper module.
My earlier work includes an outdoor installation, Billboard Baby: On Time (Feb- April 2004) which used the metaphors of growth, development and time. People driving by or stuck in traffic witnessed the image develop and fade away over a two month period. Seemingly abstract areas of shape, line and tone gradually transformed into a recognizable image of a baby that remained unexplainably “non-commercial”. In my series (Gestation Drawings) the metaphors of birth, growth and time were mimicked in my process. Nine drawings developed out of 270 pieces; one drawn each day for nine months.
Drawing with charcoal has been my primary medium; I also paint and make prints. Charcoal drawing is traditionally a preparatory stage and its less than adult status still lingers. Paper and charcoal are impermanent, fragile and expendable materials with the potential to be extremely resilient (like babies).
As a result of living and teaching in Italy, my work reflected Italian art of the 14th - 16th centuries. More recently I have begun to examine political and religious controversies. My practice also includes extensive life drawing.
“I am still searching for the expression of those confused sensations that we bring with us at birth.” Paul Cezanne