Petersen Thomas

Greene County Sky 24" x 36" Acrylic $900	Madison Co. Sky 36" x 60" Acrylic on Canvas $1600
Champage Co. Sky 16" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas $600	Clark Co. Sky 24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas $900
Summit Co. Sky 24" x 48" Acrylic on Canvas $1200	Cuyahoga County Sky 36" x 60" Acrylic Sold

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On the verge of partnership at a prestigious law firm and while moonlighting as a children’s textbook illustrator, Petersen Thomas left the practice of law in 2000 to devote all his energy to creating art.  Thomas is a prolific painter, producing upwards of 100 paintings a year, and his work hangs in galleries, offices and collections throughout Europe and the United States.

Thomas must be considered a generalist, as his work covers a broad range of subject matter and styles, from whimsical still life to portraiture to abstract colorfields.  It is in the later category where he is finding particular success, prompting one critic to observe:  “Petersen Thomas’ work glows with color.  His paintings consist of simple forms that, combined together in layered translucencies, become intricate patterns, punctuated with subtle nuances and complete surprises.” Kurt Shaw, art critic for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in art from Denison University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

ARTIST STATEMENT - MISS OHIO:

I grew up on a working farm in Fairfield County, Ohio where so much of my life was dictated by the weather. We were always acutely aware of the sky and attuned to its constant changes.

I recall a perfect week when an endless procession of popcorn clouds was blown across the horizon. Less pleasant (but perhaps more powerful) is the memory of baling hay under a merciless sun.

Whenever I return to the country, I am always struck by the sky of Ohio that seems to always be exactly as it is in my childhood memory. We often think of “the sky” as simply a background, but for me, the sky is a tangible part of the vista before me.

In these paintings, I have simplified the earth and minimized human impact to its broadest strokes: fields, hedgerows, and the occasional path. By focusing on the almost minimalist interplay of cloud and sky, I hope to give a sense of the pleasure and beauty that I sense when I become aware of the skies of Ohio.