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THOMAS ARTHUR SCHAEFER born: FEBRUARY 14, 1977 hometown: BUFFALO, NEW YORK Painter, designer, photographer, experimental musician, Thomas Arthur Schaefer was born on Valentines Day, during the ensuing chaos of one of the deadliest blizzards to ever hit the city of Buffalo, New York – The Blizzard of '77. Thomas brings a diverse background to the fine art world, having designed and directed for leading Fortune 500 companies where his fine art background and adeptness enabled him to look beyond the contrived ideas of the everyday and develop stunning design solutions. By the age of 16 he had already accumulated a large collection of awards for his work, had the National Holocaust Museum positioning to acquire a painting of his, and was quietly filling an apprenticeship inking comic books for Marvel and DC comics under artist John Lowe. His musical background spans 20 years, with trained and self studies in woodwinds, brass, percussion, guitar and piano. He's gone on to record a large body of experimental music utilizing lo-fi home recording techniques. He studied portraiture with the chinese sculptor Weining Song at age 20 and focused his efforts in the fields of illustration and photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design. After graduation from college, he spent one year teaching himself graphic and interactive design, skills which have garnered him major corporate accounts. Schaefer's upbringing in all fields of the arts, including instruction in theatre, dance and film, has transformed him into what some have classified as "A stealthy polymath poised to pounce on the art world at a moments notice." But in the meantime, he is content to work away quietly in his studio continuing to produce a few hundred new works every year. His working methods fall under several idioms of art production including: Arte Povera, Process, Pop, Correspondence, Conceptual, Performance, & Video. His works are exhibited across the country and he maintains a large set of dedicated collectors and a small cult following in the mail art domain. His shows have twisted the comfortable confines of normal gallery exhibitions and left some viewers feeling sick, disoriented, bothered and outraged. That said, his work has been described as acutely mature, intellectually nuanced, sometimes controversial, but always invariably his own. He can often be found sitting at his favorite local bar El Myr, popping silently in and out of local galleries or busy in his studio. |
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2006 Standard Deluxe Space, Auburn, AL. Sweet Tooth - Retroconsumerism I 2002 Warehouse, Atlanta, GA. The White Show 2001 Warehouse, Atlanta, GA. The Black Show GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2007 Young Blood Gallery, Atlanta, GA. Seasons James Cohan Gallery, New York, NY. Postcards From The Edge 2006 Sikkema, Jenkins & Co., New York, NY. Postcards From The Edge Doo Gallery, Atlanta, GA. Haunting Kettle Art Gallery, Dallas, TX. The Horror Show Doo Gallery, Atlanta, GA. Art Party 2005 Roger Miller Gallery, New York, NY. Postcards From The Edge Unisourse International, Atlanta, GA. Uncommon Threads Spin Creative Space, Atlanta, GA. Spin & Gin 5 Hill County Arts Foundation, Ingram, TX. Postcards From Beyond The Edge |
2004 Spin Creative Space, Atlanta, GA. Spin & Gin 4 2003 Locus Media Gallery, New York, NY. The Bill Clinton Show 2000 – 1992 525 E. Henry St., Savannah, GA. "1" ExLibris Gallery, Savannah, GA. Turning Over A New Leaf Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA. Savannah Arts Festival 99 Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA. Savannah Arts Festival 98 Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA. Savannah Arts Festival 97 National Holocaust Museum, Washington, DC Anne Frank In The World Trahern Gallery of Art, Clarksville, TN. The Voice Within Cleveland Arts Guild, Cleveland, TN. Showcase Hunter Museum of Fine Art, Chattanooga, TN. Art Scene 18 Hunter Museum of Fine Art, Chattanooga, TN. Art Scene 17 Hunter Museum of Fine Art, Chattanooga, TN. Art Scene 16 Hunter Museum of Fine Art, Chattanooga, TN. Art Scene 15 |
ARTICLES
'It's not your parents' art opening' The Story, Atlanta, GA.
'Canvassing Bill' New York Magazine, New York, NY.
'SAF judges should look beyond the usual suspects' The Georgia Guardian, Savannah, GA.
'Chalk it up to talent, time and effort' The Georgia Guardian, Savannah, GA.
'Schaefer Takes First' Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland, TN.
'Experimental bookmaking exhibit opens at Ex Libris' The Georgia Guardian, Savannah, GA.
'Find Your Own Message' Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland, TN.
'Schaefer awarded prestigious art school scholarship' Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland, TN.
'Raiders Rip Schaefer's Work' Chattanooga Free Times Press, Chattanooga, TN.
'Schaefer's originals Disposable Art' Chattanooga Free Times Press, Chattanooga, TN.
'Schaefer to attend Governor's School for Arts' Cleveland Daily Banner, Cleveland, TN.
ARTIST WRITINGS, PUBLICATIONS & REPRODUCTIONS
'2004 Design Review', full-page reproduction, PRINT Business Graphics, 2004.
'The Second Floor Window', full-page reproduction, HOW magazine, April, 2000.
'Areosmith In My Garage', illustration, American Oxford , #27 & #28, Summer 1999.
'I'd Like To Thank The Acadamy...', illustration, Drink Magazine, Spring 1999.
'The Society of Illustrators: Los Angeles', full-page reproduction, SI: WEST 38 Catalog, 2000.
'Summer of Love' 6 page illustrated story, 2000
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EDUCATION 1999 Bachelor of Fine Art, Savannah College of Art and Design major: Illustration PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2006 – PRESENT Principal/Creative Director – Cherrylipped Studios, Atlanta, GA 2002 – 2006 Art Director – UPS Corporate, Atlanta, GA 2000 – 2002 Senior Graphic Designer – Ambrosi Atlanta, Atlanta, GA AWARDS & HONORS 2003 Environmental Award of Excellence – Monadnock Paper Mills 2003 Business Graphics Award of Excellence – PRINT Magazine 1999 Second Place – Sidewalk Arts Festival 1998 Grand Prize – Sidewalk Arts Festival 1997 Grand Prize – Sidewalk Arts Festival 1995 Francis Larkin McCommon Scholarship – Savannah College of Art and Design 1994 Governors Award of Excellence – State of Tennessee 1993 Governors School for the Arts Scholarship – State of Tennessee |
SELECTED COLLECTIONS 360 Media, Inc., Atlanta, GA Ambrosi Atlanta, Atlanta, GA Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA National Holocaust Museum, Washington, DC City of Nashville, Nashville, TN AFFILIATIONS Society of Illustrators Los Angeles New York School of Correspondence IUOMA: International Union of Mail-Artists |