By Carol Stark
cstark@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
You may or may not immediately recognize them in Andy Thomas’ tribute to those who have played a role in the advancement of civil rights, but keep looking. They are there, along with a host of others.
The Carthage artist said he has been successful in his portrayal of presidents in “Grand Ol’ Gang” and “True Blues.” Republicans and Democrats have their pick of paintings that show presidents seated around a poker table.
Thomas said his publishing company, buoyed by the response to the poker paintings, started looking for the next release. Months of brainstorming came to fruition in the latest line of artwork, being released by the Somerset House publishing company. That offering includes “Change.”
The painting shows Barack Obama speaking to an audience of familiar faces. Thomas has used likenesses of leaders in the civil-rights movement to serve as Obama’s audience.
“It’s not meant to be a study in politics, but rather a study of those who played some role in the civil-rights movement,” Thomas said in a phone interview from his home.
“Somerset wanted it in stores by the inauguration.”
The painting is reminiscent of another of Thomas’ creations, in which images of music legends have been painted into a scene.
Thomas’s Web site, andythomas.com, describes the artist as a “storyteller.”
“Currently he is telling many stories with his action-filled Western art,” the site reads. “These pieces are bringing the cowboys back to life as well as the American West history. In the past, Thomas has painted many subjects from a picnic by the river, kids playing sports to a brutal bear fight. All of his paintings end up telling you, the viewer, some kind of story of our lives.”
Thomas said Western art is a focus for him now, and he acknowledged: “I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy.”
The Carthage Senior High School graduate lists Western artist Bob Tommey among those who have inspired him. He also lists Norman Rockwell.
Empathy for his subjects, Thomas said, is important to him.
“That’s why I agreed to do ‘Change,’” he said. “I’ve listened to stories from my friends about racism and discrimination. Some are just unbelievable.”
Carol Stark is the editor of The Joplin Globe.
‘Desire to create’
Andy Thomas, on his Web site, cites the following as his statement of purpose:
“I always remember why I do paintings or drawings when I see great work I admire and my stomach swirls. I suppose my desire to create is funneled into the area I most admire ... painting realism.”
