Elena Thomas has an ever-changing multi-disciplinary practice that ranges across drawing, textiles, installation, sound, songwriting and performance.
Elena Thomas has an ever-changing multi-disciplinary practice that ranges across drawing, textiles, installation, sound, songwriting and performance.
Her train of thought meanders through relationships she witnesses either first hand, or as observer and eavesdropper.
She finds herself increasingly interested in the way political issues effect those relationships. Her current project Five, Six, Pick up Sticks concerns the statistics of child poverty in her own part of the West Midlands. She is working towards a solo exhibition of this work in May 2023.
Elena has a Masters Degree in Arts Practice and Education from Birmingham City University’s School of Art.
Her visual works, sound and performances have been seen across the UK, in the USA and Sweden.
Elena Thomas
email [email protected]
Website www.elenathomas.co.uk
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elena-Thomas-Art-and-Textiles/123618094363659?ref=hl
Personal blog Threads: https://www.a-n.co.uk/blogs/threads or also available at https://elenathomas.co.uk/blog/
Artist’s Recent Biography
2022
Fronteer Gallery Sheffield, Open Exhibition judging panel
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Members and Associates Exhibition 2022
Radio Public
Social art festival on Dudley High St in conjunction with CoLab and Workshop 24
West Midlands Open
selected works at The New Art Gallery Walsall
2021
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Members and Associates Exhibition 2021
Black Country Radio Xtra
Drawing Songs Interview with Bill Laybourne
Beautiful Freak
Big City Radio (Birmingham) and Hive Radio UK (Manchester)
Collective Brum
ArtRooms Kings Heath and Red Brick Market, Digbeth, Birmingham
Drawing Songs
Exhibition, Performances and Workshop
General Office, Stourbridge
Associate of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Candidates Exhibition 2021
The Drawbridge
Exhibition by members of the Facebook Group
Drawn In
Glitterball Showroom Online solo exhibition
Enköping, Sweden
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Friends Exhibition 2021
Drawing Songs
Arts Council England funded project
General Office Stourbridge
Winter Open Exhibition Online - Highly Commended
Adventitious
Daphne Francis Gallery Online Group Show
2020
Adventitious Daphne Francis Gallery (online exhibition)
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Selected work in Prize Exhibition - Highly Commended
Drawing Songs
Arts Council England funded project
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Friends Exhibition Online
Connections Daphne Francis Gallery Birmingham
2019
Cause and Effect (solo show) General Office Studios and Gallery
Cause and Effect (podcast) General Office Studios and Gallery
Drawing Your Space does The Big Draw General Office Studios and Gallery with Sarah Goudie
Drawing Your Space General Office Studios and Gallery with Sarah Goudie
PoArtry Collaboration with poet Leah Atherton
Textile Workshops:
Text and Textiles,
Ostentatious Mending,
Pockets are a Feminist Issue
General Office Studios and Gallery Stourbridge
Art Digbeth Group Show Custard Factory Digbeth Birmingham
Birmingham Weekender Cobalt Blue group show and Sitting Room performance
2018
Black Country Radio The Sitting Room feature spot
The Sitting Room at No Covers Club, Newhampton Arts Centre, Hexagon Theatre, Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, The Platform, Tower of Song, Kitchen Garden Cafe
CD artwork for Joe Bayliss
General Office Monthly Open Crit sessions for artists
Studio Workshops Text and Textiles; Lyric Writing, Ostentatious Mending
General Office Drawing your Space (with Sarah Goudie)
General Office “Body of Work” Inaugural exhibition of studio artists
Artist teacher mentoring scheme with Carol Wild
2017
Artist Teacher Scheme Birmingham City University and New Art Gallery Walsall - Tutor
Alternative Portraits Group Exhibition, Access Gallery, Sheffield
Regeneration Open Exhibition ArtistsWorkhouse - Highly Commended
Nine Women ArtistsWorkhouse Studley Warwickshire - solo exhibition and performance with Dan Whitehouse
Text and Textiles: an exploration of memory and narrative ArtistsWorkhouse - Artist talk and workshop
Circle on the Road Arena Theatre Wolverhampton - "The Sitting Room" performance
Wolverhampton University New Art Gallery Walsall - PGCE Arts Tours
2016
Open Weekend Old Library Studios Stourbridge - Exhibition and performances with "The Sitting Room"
Family Workshops New Art Gallery Walsall
Wolverhampton University New Art Gallery Walsall - BEd. Arts Tours
a-n Professional Development Bursary
Junction Festival of Contemporary Art Wolverhampton Art Gallery - Group Show
The Life of a Song (made at mac) mac Birmingham - Featured Artist
Practice Imperfect Symposium for Artist Educators at Birmingham City University - Event Organiser
AWE1 Artists' Workhouse Studley Worcestershire - "The Sitting Room" inaugural performance
Artist Teacher Scheme Birmingham City University and New Art Gallery Walsall - Tutor
2015
Life & Other Art Forms ArtSpace Dudley - Group exhibition
Artist Teacher Scheme Birmingham City University School of Art - Lead Tutor
Mouth and Music Boars Head Gallery Kidderminster - Performance of songs from Nine Women with Dan Whitehouse
Nine Women ArtSpace Dudley - Arts Council England funded project
WORN 3rd on 3rd Gallery Jamestown New York USA (Elements from Nine Women)
ARTMobile Vasteras Sweden (Elements from Nine Women)
From the Grass Roots - Emerging Strategies for Art and Design Education Symposium Birmingham School of Art Birmingham City University - Invited speaker
2014
2013
2012
2011
Qualifications
2012 MA Art Practice and Education - Birmingham City University School of Art
2009 BA (Open) Open University
1994 Cert Ed (Further, Adult and Higher Education) University of Wolverhampton
