My hat goes off to anyone who lives an artistic life, and no one exemplifies that more than Thomas Wolski. He recently updated his website here, so the whole world can get a glimpse into the fascinating world of his artwork, and it contains a gorgeous lot of gems and jewels ripe and waiting for excavation. Illustrations, painting, and photography are all on display, sometimes intertwined in glorious thought-provoking ways.
Regarding his whimsical painted photography process, he explains his vision thusly: “I see the finished piece before I have even taken the picture. It’s no good stock-piling images that are pretty in hopes of a story, the best tales are those told in the moment.”
Pop art doesn’t usually get its proper due until it proves itself worthy of standing the test of time, but true talent resonates in the moment, and Mr. Wolski manages to be both forward-looking and introspective, a powerful combination that lends itself to explosive self-expression. His work is richly varied, often imbued with witty humor but sometimes more weighty matter.
I have never been a fantastic painter, but I don’t care. For me it is the execution of the idea that is important, physically getting it down on paper to be seen by others. It’s my way of printing that big thought bubble above my head.
Witness his art installation at Hackett London below, proof that his work is living, breathing, vital and engaging. It demands a bit more of the viewer, and the invitation is inherent in the wit at work, as well as the crowd-pleasing pop culture touchstone references.
His work teases and delights, drawing in the spectator with a wry smile, a nudge, a challenge. While often instantly accessible on the surface, there are details and layers to all of his pieces, subtle hints at the complexity of the work, demanding revisits and continued contemplation.
That’s the sign of a true artist: their work lingers in the mind long after the viewing.
[Visit Thomas Wolski’s website here for an in-depth look at his world – and stick around for a bit more of him later today.]
