Art student connecting the dots

January 12, 2009 by Bryant Nguyen 

 

Thomas Willis explores similarites, duality in new exhibit

 

Now through Feb. 28, Henri & Odette will be hosting an art exhibit called “Within / Without,” showcasing the artwork of UNLV BFA candidate Thomas Willis.

The exhibit features seven paintings from Willis and is his first exhibit.

“Thomas is such a great painter,” said Henri & Odette owner Jennifer Harrington.  “I had heard of this student that was going to UNLV that was amazing. I went to see his work and knew immediately that he was painting some of the best work I had seen for a year.”

The exhibit represents Willis’ interpretation of the world’s various points of view, that even differences can have similarities within one another without being its opposite.

“I am intrigued by the harmonious existence of the absent and the present, the human form and the natural form, the limited and the un-limited, the ordered and the chaotic and how they can exist simultaneously within and without each other,” Willis said.

It is this imagination and skill that Willis has carried with him since his childhood days.

“Ever since I was a little kid I have always been good at drawing and painting,” he said. “It is something that I am natural at and confident in myself as an artist.”

Art is similar to a full-time job for Willis. Through his eyes, everything is art and he is constantly generating artistic ideas of the things he sees in his daily life.

“I spend at least eight hours, five days a week on my artwork,” Willis said. “My life is my art and I am always thinking about how things can be artistic.”

The inspiration for the style of his artwork is behind the idea of dualistic systems.

“I’m interested in dualistic systems that de-center information by juxtaposing conflicting ideas and forces. I use pigment and form to metaphorically translate this opposing symmetry,” he said. 

Willis conveys the idea of opposing symmetry through his artwork.

“I paint what I see in the world.  Art already exists out there, and as an artist I am capturing the art I see in the world and creating art that people can reflect on,” he said.

Through the exhibit, Willis not only hopes to accomplish more in his career, but to have people look at art and the world from more than one outlook.

“I want the viewer to feel fulfilled when they observe my artwork and each time they look at it that they come out with a new meaning each time,” Willis said.

Willis plans to be featured in more exhibits in the future.  

“This exhibition is really important to me and I will use this as momentum to propel me further in my career. I want to create another accomplished body of work that will hopefully stimulate the minds of people,” Willis said. 

There are high hopes for Willis and his future as an artist.

“The future might challenge me as an artist and push me to different artwork, but it is important for artistic growth. I think I will always find a way to make artwork,” Willis said.

The exhibit will be on display at Henri & Odette until Feb. 28 and is open Monday through Saturday. Harrington is very supportive of emerging young artists like Willis and others like him.

“Owning a gallery is a lot of hard work,” Harrington said. “It’s really my life. There is no off time, but I love it. I’m glad that if I work hard, that an artist gets to have a solo show and get accolades. That part of it is really amazing.”