Today we’d like to introduce you to Edrian Thomidis.
Edrian, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Art has always been a part of who I am. It did not find me and it was not something pursued. It was just there all along. Early recognition in high school encouraged me to pursue the arts and pointed me in the direction of University of Florida’s, New World School of the Arts. Along the way I have expressed my creativity in more than one form. Some may say that I am a renaissance woman because my skills are so varied and diverse within the creative field.
My college experience was right before the start of the World Wide Web revolution that began in the mid-90s. While in university, I worked for an Internet Service Provider and became heavily involved with the web in its infancy. I designed few dozen early websites, original logos, biz cards, posters and the like for well-known South Florida entities. Later on, as an art director, I designed numerous websites for companies like Sony, Discovery Channel, Pepsi, and Microsoft. I became proficient in programming, usability, and information architecture. Outside the corporate life, I also used my drawing, painting, and technical skills to illustrate many images used in books, magazines, and even shirts.
In 2014, after losing a loved one and wanting to find an outlet for my grief, I signed up for a ceramic class at The Armory Art Center. My artsy soul was reignited. I discovered that working with clay provided me the technical complexity and challenge I experienced in graphic and web design.
Since 2014, I have participated in multiple local exhibits and have received several awards and honorable mentions for my figurative ceramic sculptures. I continue to expand my skill set by attending workshops from established artists such as Kirsten Stingle, Cristina Cordoba and Philippe Faraut. My work is collected internationally and can be found in many private collections as well as in regional galleries. I have also found great fulfillment in helping dog lovers honor their pets. Commissioned dog sculptures have been very popular.
I am an active member of the Ceramic League of the Palm Beaches, Wellington Art Society, Cultural Council of Palm Beach County and the Women in the Visual Arts organization.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I love making art that evokes thought and emotion. Exposure to different mediums through my life experience is clear in my work. The story telling qualities and character development of children’s books is evident in all of my figurative ceramic sculptures. The textures and finishes are very painterly, while shapes, patterns, or typeface treatments are evocative of my graphic design background.
I enjoy the intuitive process of creating within a predefined set of parameters such as size, gravity, and weight. Each and every character feels like it wants to come forth instead of me forcing it into existence. The process is very fluid and requires communication with the work so it becomes a collaborative effort with the sculpture itself. I think of it in terms of a dance that feeds my artsy soul.
My work is motivated by our interaction with our natural world. Life experiences and moments inspire the characters and the symbols that have meaning behind my figurative sculptures. Defined as whimsical and surreal, my ceramic artwork is expressive and aims to generate an emotional connection. It is important that the observer connects with my sculptures and interprets them their own way. The saying “art is in the eye of the beholder” is intentional and true of my work.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
There are many challenges. but I think one that many artists are facing today is “relevance”. How to stay relevant in a world where technology has everyone’s attention and images change every few seconds. How to maintain or grab an audience that has a much shorter attention span and an ever-changing taste.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
For behind the scenes and sneak peaks, people can go to Instagram (@artsy.soul). I’m pretty active on that platform. I also have a Facebook page.
If people are interested on purchasing any of my sculptures or want to commission a pet portrait, my website is the best place to start. (thomidis.com)
I exhibit in different places around Florida. Right now, I have a few pieces at Florida CraftArt’s Exhibition Gallery – Dolls and Where They Live through July 28 in St. Petersburg. I also have a couple of sculptures in exhibit at Wellington’s City Hall until August. For the most up to date exhibiting schedule, visit my website and click on ‘blog’.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thomidis.com
- Phone: 5613310606
- Email: edrian@thomidis.com
- Instagram: @artsy.soul
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edrianthomidis
- Twitter: @1ArtsySoul
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnArtsySoul
Image Credit:
All images are taken by me, Edrian Thomidis.
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