Candace Thomas

I have a lot of fabric !

2012-01-23T00:31:00.001-05:00

Lately I’ve been having conversations about how much is enough, are we fabric addicts, or fabricholics, and when do you have too much?

My reply is usually, you will know when you have to much. Too much for one is not enough for another. As far as being a fabric addict, or

fabricholic, or having stashes, these all sound so illicit. I am an artist, a fabricologist, a collector of fabrics, a cutter of cloth. I use my fabric,

It makes me extremely happy, and it make it makes others happy as well.

Peace and Stitch,

Candace

Mini fabric covered journals

2011-12-28T23:01:00.001-05:00

Candace Thomas

2009-05-05T12:18:00.017-04:00

Handbags and totes

Books

Dolls

Fine Art

When people see my art, whether it is a bag, a broach, or a wall piece, the reaction is usually, “Oh, is that a Candace Thomas?” My art is known for its masterful manipulation of a rich palette of African prints, tie dye, batik, and hand-woven African textiles. To compliment the array of textiles, pieces can be accented with beads, cowry shells and dense thread stitching. It is based on variations of string and scrap quilts and honors African American quilters and their quilts. My work can be built into multi-dimensional quilts, bags, sculptures and various other fine art pieces. My pieces have a strong African aesthetic and are pleasing to the eyes and spirit.

Candace Thomas was born in Los Angeles, California and now resides in Chapel Hill, NC with her husband Larry Thomas. She began working with fiber in the late 1960's. After going beyond the commercial pattern she expanded into wearable art, home décor, contemporary art quilts, and 3-dimentional fiber sculptures, all with an African Aesthetic. In 2004 she was selected to present a piece to Tanzania's First Lady, Mrs. Anna Mkapa. Thomas was the featured artist for the 2005 African American Arts festival in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her piece Moonchild, a collaboration with Jazz pianist Yusuf Salim, will be features in the national touring exhibit Textural Rhythms February 2007 to December 2010. In addition to exhibiting her own work she has curated and coordinated juried shows and exhibition on North Carolina. Candace shares her love of textiles and fibers as she teaches fiber art and creative process workshops.

Selected exhibitions or juried shows include:
Through Woman's Eyes, By Women's Hand's, Chapel Hill, NC (2009)
Your Blues Aint’ Like Mine, Durham, NC (2006)
Parallels and Intersections: Women Quilt a World, Cincinnati, Ohio (2006)
Art and the Feminine Devine, Durham, NC (2006)
ARTQUILTSfabrications, Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival (2006)
Nearness of You; Memory and Commemoration in Quiltmaking, Williamsburg, VA (2006)
African American Arts Festival Exhibit, African American Atelier, Greensboro, NC (2005)
African American Quilt Circle, Charlotte, NC (2004)
African Masks, Fetishes and Icons, Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri (2003)
*Dimensions, Durham, NC (2003)
Through Woman's Eyes, By Women's Hand's, Chapel Hill, NC (2002)
African American Quilters, Mary Lou Williams Center Black Culture Center, Durham, NC (2001)
Ten Artist You Should Know, Durham, NC (2001)
*In My Hands, An Homage to Black Women, Durham, NC (2000)

(*- solo exhibits)

Blogger Quilt Festival - "My Eyes Home"

2009-04-21T11:24:00.011-04:00

Click image for details

Title: My Eyes Home

Medium: Fabric, thread, beads, shells, written word

Size: 17.5" height 14" width 2" depth

My Eyes Home
This piece was created for the Chapel Hill Women's Center 30th Anniversary Gala.
My Eyes Home looks at home, community and water; these are some the things that we need to live healthy lives.
The technique is a variation of string quilt. Raw edge strips of fabric are sewn on a base fabric and a light batting to create a landscape effect. Heavy thread painting is used to give more depth and texture to the piece. The home at the bottom left of the corner is attached to give a dimensional element.
The water is collection of various blue beads strung on wire.
The beads can be manipulated to change the flow of the water from the mountains to the grassy land.
The entire piece is then stretched on a frame.

This me at The Women's Center Gala.

My Eyes Home

2009-03-08T14:34:00.005-04:00

Barbara's Bag

2008-08-16T00:41:00.003-04:00

Mary's Bag

2008-07-16T12:01:00.001-04:00

Create Culture Books

2008-07-16T11:57:00.005-04:00

Nnenna's - Mama's Got A Brand New Bag

2008-05-15T17:06:00.013-04:00

Front

Back

..........

Nzinga's Birthday

2008-04-30T11:45:00.014-04:00

Apron front

Apron detail

Apron detail

Wristlet front

Wristlet back (with Adinkra symbol)

Adinkra symbol detail

Key F.O.B.

Handbag front

Handbag front detail

Handbag front detail

Handbag front detail

Handbag back (with Adinkra symbol)

Adinkra symbol detail

Handbags

2008-03-19T10:09:00.011-04:00

Åndria's Messenger bag

Round Bag- front

Round bag- back

Red wristlet- front

Red wristlet- front

Red wristlet -front

Large purple wrist bag -front

Joyce' sRed handbag-front

Gail's handbag

Robbie's backpack-front

Robbies backpack-front

Jere's handbag-front

Marjorie's handbag-front

Marjorie's handbag-back

Sauda's handbag- front

Sauda's handbag-bottom

Nnenna's handbag-front

Donna Marie's handbag-front

Donna Marie's handbag-back

Donna Marie's handbag-side

Donna Marie's handbag-inside

Sometimes The Lights Were Bright at Christmas

2008-03-07T16:56:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the Lights Were Bright at Christmas

Sometimes the Lights Were Bright at Christmas (detail)

2007-05-16T13:26:00.002-04:00

"Akonting" Commission for Chuck Davis's 70th Birthday

2007-05-16T13:18:00.000-04:00

Vending and Festivals

2007-05-16T13:15:00.001-04:00

Chapel Hill Women's Center Gala

Earth Day Festival

Journeys

2007-05-16T13:14:00.000-04:00

Kinda Blue

2007-05-16T13:13:00.001-04:00

In search of Black Identity-Home to Harlem (Partial side)

2007-05-16T13:12:00.000-04:00

In Search of Black Identity-Home to Harlem (Front View)

2007-05-16T13:10:00.000-04:00

Senalgalese Dream

2007-05-16T13:09:00.000-04:00

When and Where I Enter

2007-05-16T13:06:00.000-04:00