Lauren Wolfer, Associate Curator of Special Collections & Archives
One of my favorite artists from FWMoA’s recent glass acquisitions is Kimberly Thomas. Her background in ceramics and special effects bring her small-scale pieces to life, creating tiny worlds that invite the viewer to look closely or you may miss it. Learn more about her background and how she creates in her interview with FWMoA’s Associate Curator of Special Collections & Archives Lauren Wolfer.
Lauren Wolfer [LW]: Your path to glass art is a very interesting one: from ceramics to special effects to glass. Can you discuss your journey?
Kimberly Thomas [KT]: I graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with a bachelor’s degree in ceramics. After college I worked for a small company painting figurines. I’d always had an interest in film and storytelling. Once I had saved enough money, I enrolled in a make-up artistry school and moved to California. After the program I took several freelance make-up jobs, then started working in a special effects lab under Oscar winner Kevin Haney. I worked in special effects for several years before I was laid off. While looking for jobs, I found a glass studio to work in, which I thought would make a nice hobby. Obviously, glass also makes an exceptional career.
LW: There are several glass artists within our collection who have a ceramic background, do you see a similarity between the two?
KT: There are a few similarities between glass and ceramics. From the use of the objects made and how, to chemical compositions. I suppose my work has a ceramic quality because of my color, surface, and textural choices, as well as some of the techniques I use to make the work. My work consists of narratives made from assemblages of miniature replicas of everyday objects. I shy away from the glossy finish and transparency, qualities most commonly associated with glass, because many common earthly objects are not transparent or glossy; however, utilizing opaqueness is another way of using light.
For me, I feel that unlike ceramic, there is unlimited potential with glass. Glass is extremely versatile. There are many things it does naturally. It shines, sparkles, can be very thin or extremely thick, breaks, boils, and devitrifies; the latter are actions usually deemed “bad”, however, I consider these qualities neither bad nor good. They are simply what glass does. Being able to control how or when glass breaks or boils, etc. is another aspect of understanding the material. Using these qualities is an enhancement to the aesthetic of my work.
Kimberly Thomas, American, b.1977. A Grassy Knoll. Flameworked Borosilicate glass, grout, artificial grass, adhesives. Images courtesy of FWMoA.
LW: How does your previous work in ceramics compare to your glass work? Do they ever overlap?
KT: I don’t think about ceramics much anymore. My work in ceramics was a great foundation. I enjoyed the chemistry of the material and making very detailed narrative works back then as well.
LW: Does your training in special effects makeup reflect your creative practices with glass?
KT: On some level my work in special effects reflects my creative process in glass. The two processes are very different. Having worked in several different mediums before starting a career in glass has contributed to my perspective of what glass can be and should be. I have never taken a flameworking or furnace class. (I will take a furnace class for the first time this fall, which I am very excited about.) I did not have traditional training in glass. This is most heavily reflected in my work. Because of my lack of training, I saw glass as a medium with immeasurable possibilities. I experimented endlessly, through trial and error I learned to push the medium further than considered possible.
Kimberly Thomas, American, b.1977. Rule of Ten: Boom Box. Flameworked Borosilicate glass, grout, nichrome wire, artificial grass, adhesives. Images courtesy of FWMoA.
LW: Why work on such a small scale and attentiveness to realism? I love the stacked compositions and works with below-ground imagery, but why choose to depict discarded scenes/items?
KT: My narratives are allegorical and often autobiographical. I have a unique perspective of the world and use vignettes to tell stories and create speculative worlds. I think life should be examined. What one does, feels, and thinks should be analyzed and questioned. Foremost, I make what I like; I like miniatures. Consequently, making intricate, tiny objects forces the viewer to examine what appears before them. My approach to working with glass in terms of my attention to detail, construction, color, and texture, forces them to question what they see. The stories I tell move the viewer to wonder about themselves and the world around them. I use discarded and broken objects, and scenes depicting ruins because I like old things. On earth, nothing stays new, fresh, and young forever. I appreciate the patina on an old statue or the rust on a pipe. These things have a specific kind of beauty that makes me think about growth, change, and movement through time. Everything and everyone has a history. History can be forgotten (or ignored), like an old sweater or shoe. The relationship between humans, objects, and attachment are themes I often discuss in my work. We own nothing, whether we believe that or not. Everything man makes or thinks he owns, will eventually be discarded or left behind. In the end, we take nothing with us.
LW: From the beginning of FWMoA’s collecting of glass art, the community has been open to sharing information and collaborating with us. This helps us to teach our visitors about the medium! Are there any artists that you look to for inspiration, in glass or any other medium?
KT: There aren’t any artists I look to for inspiration. Inspiration should come from ourselves, the world around us, our experiences, thoughts, and feelings. At least, mine does. I do admire many artists’ for their work, how they use a medium, express their thoughts, and interpret the world. Two of my favorite artists are Vanessa German and Leonardo da Vinci.
Stop in to FWMoA to see our newly installed Chihuly chandelier and other dazzling works in the Contemporary Studio Glass Wing!