Exhibit Description
Tonya Solley Thornton is a multidisciplinary artist fascinated by strange found objects and vintage craft materials. Her sculptures and collages, which typically feature plant-like forms with emotional resonance, grow intuitively from the colorful weird chaos that surrounds her in her studio. She draws inspiration from her childhood in Florida, her family’s fascination with holiday
displays, her love of roadside attractions, and the strange beauty that exists in nature.
Her piece Florence was inspired by recent collages that she made using images from old craft magazines and books. The subjects of those images – crocheted blankets, fabrics and other vintage handicrafts – are the same sorts of materials she has in abundance in her studio. With these materials she brings the collages to life as larger scale sculptures, returning to an area of her practice that had been on hold for many years due to space limitations.
displays, her love of roadside attractions, and the strange beauty that exists in nature.
Her piece Florence was inspired by recent collages that she made using images from old craft magazines and books. The subjects of those images – crocheted blankets, fabrics and other vintage handicrafts – are the same sorts of materials she has in abundance in her studio. With these materials she brings the collages to life as larger scale sculptures, returning to an area of her practice that had been on hold for many years due to space limitations.
Artist Biography
Tonya Solley Thornton was born in Niagara Falls, NY, but grew up mostly in the Florida Keys. She received her BFA from Florida State University and her MFA from Mills College in Oakland, CA. She was the recipient of several awards and fellowships, including the Jay Defeo Award, the Murphey Fine Arts Fellowship, and the Herringer Prize for Excellence in Art. Since moving to North Carolina in 2014 she has been active in the arts community and has been included in shows at ArtSpace, Durham Arts Guild, Lump and VAE. Tonya currently lives in Raleigh, NC and has a studio at Anchorlight.