David Thomas, born to a military family in Germany, earned his BA in Studio Art and Art History from Briar Cliff University, Nebraska. Now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Thomas employs a distinctive fingerprinting technique to craft haunting figures within surrealistic landscapes. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and includes murals and publications.
Thomas’s signature fingerprinting style emerged from a desire to introduce an abstract dimension to his art. Captivated by the outcome, his initial experimentation transformed into a passion. He swiftly transitioned to painting expansive fields of fingerprints in an abstract grid arrangement, which ultimately evolved into the figures and portraiture for which he is renowned today.
By eschewing traditional painting tools, Thomas cultivates a more intimate, tactile connection with his materials and subject matter. He manipulates pressure and application to generate shadows, tones, and depth within his pieces. The final results transcend the conventional expectations of childlike fingerprint paintings.
Thomas observes that the fingerprints themselves allude to identity—to all the individual identities that have shaped us along our journeys, leaving their mark on us, so to speak. We are not a single identity, but an ever-evolving constellation of identities that we have encountered and learned from.
Solo Exhibitions
2018 There Are No Kings Here, Gadsden Museum of Art, Gadsden, AL USA
2016 Impermanences, Minus Space, New York City, USA
2016 When a Still Painting Shows Us That We Are Moving And Other Works, Tristian Koenig Gallery, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
2014 When Two Directions Become All Directions, Tristian Koenig Gallery, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
2014 When Two Directions Become All Directions , Conny Dieztschold Gallery, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
2014 Genetic Pixelization , Spinelli Galleries, Chelsea, NYC USA
2013 Dialogue Farbenfreunde , Raum 2810, Bonn GERMANY
2013 AUTOFLUX , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne, FL USA
2012 This Violent Sleep , Clausen Art Gallery, Sioux City, IA USA
2012 Timelines, Colour Fields , Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne AUSTRALIA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 Threesome International Group Show, 19 Karen Gallery, Mermaid Beach QLD, AUS
2018 Surreal Salon 10, Baton Rouge Gallery LA USA
2017 Paint It Forward, Cass Contemporary, Tampa FL USA
2016 Westfarbe , Raum 2810, Bonn, GERMANY
2016 Happy, 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace, Gold Coast AUSTRALIA
2016 Third Coast Annual Juried Exhibition, K-Space Contemporary, Corpus Cristi, TX (Won Honorable Mention) USA
2015 Aqua Art Miami, Derek Gores Gallery in association with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Miami FL USA
2015 Concrete Posts 3 , Raum 2810, Bonn GERMANY
2015 Cross-Atlantic Visions , MZUrban Art, Chelsea NYC USA
2015 Surreal Salon 7 , Baton Rouge Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA USA
2014 Summer Small Works Show , Chelsea27 Artspace, Chelsea NYC USA
2014 Implicit Messages , Chelsea27 artspace, Chelsea, NYC USA
2014 Grand Opening , Joseph Reed Gallery, Norwalk, CT USA
2014 Select Fair , New York City, NY USA
2014 3rd Year Anniversary , FTS Gallery, Stratford, CT USA
2014 A Beautiful Crime , Read’s Art Space, Bridgeport, CT USA
2014 Nude Nite , Orlando, FL USA
2014 Love Haven , Trolley Square, New Haven, CT (curator) USA
2013 Parti De L’art , Trolley Square, New Haven, CT USA
2013 Pollen8 , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne, FL USA
2013 The Machine , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne, FL (co-curator) USA
2012 A Wake for the Old World… Awake for the New! , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne, FL USA
2012 Without Darkness There is No Light , Open Mike’s, Melbourne, FL USA
2012 ADDI+ION, SUBTRAC+ION, ABSTRAC+ION , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne FL USA
2012 Something to Talk About , Art Gallery of Viera, Viera, FL USA
2012 A Midsummer Night’s Dream , EGAD! Art Lab, Melbourne, FL USA
2012 Brush with Success , Art Gallery of Viera, Viera, FL USA
2012 Edge of the Outback , Art Vault, Mildura AUSTRALIA
MURALS
2015 Rites of Release, Melbourne FL USA
2015 The Nature of Things , New Haven CT USA
2015 Eyes , New Haven CT USA
2015 Hands , New Haven CT USA
AWARDS
2012 Winner – Dorothy Collins Scholarship for Excellence in Art
2012 Winner – Myriel Boes Art Scholarship
2012 Winner – Briar Cliff University Excellence in Art award
Publications
2015 Featured on cover and inside New Haven Magazine (March)
2014 Featured on thenewyorkoptimist.com (June)
2012 Featured in “The Briar Cliff Review” arts magazine (May)
