By Bonnie Gangelhoff
Although Roger V Thomas works with fused glass, he also considers himself a painter. In ELYSIAN LIGHT, for example, he creates an intriguing illusion—the moody piece could easily deceive viewers into thinking the cypress trees and ethereal skies were created with watercolors.
But peruse the work up close and in person, and it is clear that the painterly artwork is made of glass. Landscapes and scenes of beauty, often sprinkled with trees—birch, aspen, pine, and palm—are among Thomas’ favorite subject matter. He theorizes that his deep love for the natural world stems from a reaction to growing up in the crowded metropolis of Los Angeles, CA. “My landscapes don’t have people in them,” he says pointedly of his kiln-formed glass works. In addition to landscapes, Thomas explores subjects ranging from the manmade world of architecture to the underwater universe of Koi fish. Thomas lives in Portland, OR, but travels frequently around the country and abroad to teach and show his work. In June, L’Attitude Gallery in Boston, MA, presents his recent fusedglass art in a one-man show.
Thomas is also represented by Pismo Fine Art Glass, Aspen, CO; Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, OR; Bella Vetri Gallery, Maui and Kapalua, HI; Vespermann Glass Studio, Atlanta, GA; and Kane Marie Fine Art Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA.
Featured in “Artist to Watch” May 2004