Elena Thomas RBSA
February 25 - April 6
Elena Thomas is a multi-disciplinary artist who works with drawing, textiles, installation, song-writing, sound, and performance. A starting point is often observational drawing of natural, found objects, particularly sticks and stones. These objects often stand as metaphors for relationships, particularly between children and parents. Elena is interested in semiotics: exploring what the signifiers she makes can signify to the viewers of her work.
Elena’s 2023 solo exhibition at the RBSA Five, Six, Pick Up Sticks was an installation of over 1000 real sticks, wrapped in fabric. They stood as a tally for the children in her area who were living in poverty. Some of these sticks can be seen here, realigned and situated in new works. They are still representing those children, but can now be seen arranged in family groupings.
The paper twigs, bound with linen or wool, explore and push the metaphor a little further… do you need a real twig, or does the meaning still stand if you make your own?
The drawings of stones have come to represent motherhood, and a call to an ancient ancestry. The weight of the real stones when held, is in contrast to those drawn on cotton and silk: now ephemeral, light, moved by the air as people move around the room.
Elena’s work, in whatever medium, is always balanced between the fragile and the strong.
The sound piece is called Eggshells, and is part of the Drawing Songs project funded by Arts Council England in 2021. The other songs, drawings, and the documenting of the project can be found on Elena’s website at elenathomas.co.uk and you can listen through Bandcamp at elenathomas.bandcamp.com
Elena works from her studio in Stourbridge. She has a Masters Degree in Art Practice and Education from Birmingham City University. Her work has been exhibited across the UK, in the USA, Athens, and Sweden, where she recently completed a residency in Uppsala.
Exhibition ends: Saturday 5 April 5.00pm
Image: Elena Thomes RBSA, Through The Night