Featured Artist Angela Trotta Thomas

Artist Angela Trotta Thomas creates carefully researched paintings that share her love of nostalgia and memorable places. See more of her work on her website.

 

 

As an artist, I always strive to create work that gives the viewer a feeling of happiness and contentment. This may be a painting that brings back memories of a comfortable space, or a still life made up of cherished objects.

 

 

When designing my paintings, I pay close attention to lighting and shadows. I enjoy traveling to different venues and taking research photos as much as I enjoy making the paintings themselves.

 

 

I’m honored to be Lionel Trains’ only licensed artist for over thirty years. Lionel Trains is an iconic American company and over 120 years old. My paintings have been featured in many art and toy train magazines, and are collected internationally.

 

 

Many of these paintings have been reproduced on Lionel products, such as train engines and boxcars. These toy trains are widely collected as well.

 

 

Much work is done before I even pick up a brush. When I create period pieces like the paintings featuring Lionel Train memories, it is very important for me to research the clothing, furniture and all other items of the time period to ensure authenticity.

 

 

I am also very interested in much of the history that surrounds the Charleston, South Carolina area. I love living here and enjoy learning about Charleston’s culture and past. My Sweetgrass Basket series was born from this interest.

 

 

The same care and research go into my interior paintings.

 

 

The pandemic brought forth a need in me to paint comforting spaces that I long to be in. Being an artist is a somewhat isolating profession, but the pandemic gave an entirely new meaning to the word isolation.

 

 

I create paintings of many places that I love and miss, and I want the viewer to feel a desire to be in that place as well. People often tell me they experience this when looking at my interior paintings. I find their reaction inspirational and consider it to be my greatest compliment.

 

 

I never know what’s next, but I’m sure these elements will be present in whatever I paint in the future.

 

Artist Angela Trotta Thomas invites you to follow her on Instagram.

 

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