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THOMAS DODD

Thomas Dodd is a visual artist and photographer based out of Atlanta, GA who has developed a unique style that he calls "painterly photo montage" - a method he employs in editing software in which he crafts elaborately textured pieces that have a very organic and decidedly non digital look to them. His work often has mythic and quasi-religious themes that pay homage to Old Master art traditions while at the same time drawing from psychological archetypes that evoke a strong emotional response from the viewer.

Although his artwork resembles paintings, his pieces are entirely photographic in nature, fusing many images into a cohesive whole His larger works are often presented in a mixed media form that adds a depth and texture that complements the photography beautifully.

 

Thomas has had numerous exhibitions of his works in many cities in the USA and around the world. This year (2014) he has had shows in Poland, Germany, Romania, New York City, Mexico City, Orlando, San Antonio, Seattle, New Orleans as well as in his hometown of Atlanta. Dodd's photographs have been featured in many magazines, on book and album covers and he is also the subject of an upcoming documentary film on the art nude and censorship in modern times.

Thomas began his career as a visual artist in 2005. Before that, he was best known as the harpist and songwriter for the 1990s musical group Trio Nocturna, a Celtic Gothic ensemble that put out three critically-acclaimed albums ("Morphia", "Tears of Light" and "Songs of the Celtic Night") and performed at author Anne Rice's annual Halloween balls in New Orleans, as well as spawning an offshoot band called the Changelings. Thomas also played harp on two albums by Michael Gira (the driving force behind the influential post-punk band the Swans) - "the Body Lovers" and the Angels of Light "New Mother".

 

The images that Thomas creates are basically a visual equivalent of the music he composed in the 1990s. Mythic themes and their relation to emotions and psychological states continue to be his primary subjects and motivations.

Artist's statement

 

"I have always been fascinated with the inner being, the hidden forces that propel us through life and which have been codified and represented in countless cultures through myths and legends. My portraits seek to reveal these hidden forces using primarily the representation of the feminine form and also through referencing the look and feel of classic art from the Symbolist and PreRaphaelite eras.

 

The method I use in my work is something I call "Painterly Photo Montage" Through a technique called masking that I employ in photo-editing software, I stack, layer and blend different photos together to create a final image that looks much more like an oil painting than a photograph. When the image is printed, I often mount it on wood panels and then paint over the print with varnish, gel medium or beeswax - this is a method called photo encaustic painting and it gives a tangible real texture on top of the photographed ones.

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