Aphrodite With Flamingo Painting

My current work explores the feeling of being in a natural environment. I love working with texture and layering of paint to create history and depth in the piece. I work with acrylics and textural materials to create work that conveys the ability of thoughts and feelings to remain quiet whilst the senses are ignited. I aspire to create canvases that reflect a subtle sculptural quality that are overwhelmingly aesthetically driven. I use photographs from walks and journeys as inspiration and often post images on my @antoniathom Instagram account - these are my sketchbook, the seeds of many of my ideas for paintings. I look for the feeling of being barefoot in the sand, exploring beachside rocks or that all encompassing feeling of wanting to dive into the ocean on a warm day. To disappear, to relax, whilst still being aware of all that is around. I worked for many years in an office and holidays were often a common topic that helped us transcend the mundanity of everyday desk work. I love the idea that through looking at an abstract painting you can find a memory, a part of yourself in it that can take you on holiday in your mind. The light in Greece is a huge influence, and the memory of it I project into paintings that often start from a snapshot from a local Brighton walk. My process involves walking and exploring places old and new to me. I have written about it in “Walking In The Rain”, a book published by Octopus through Department Store For The Mind.