My connection with fibers and textiles had its beginning with creating quilts. The process of manipulating and transforming individual pieces of cut fabric into a beautiful finished piece gives me a sense of great accomplishment and satisfaction.
35 years of quilt-making allowed me to look at fibers in a new way. In my newest work, I infuse found objects along with a variety of additional mediums. I include materials such as metals, pottery pieces, cardboard, feathers, buttons, small pebbles and rusted items. a My collecting process is contrary to that of a “magpie”. My selected pieces hold a certain narrative and history where nature and man’s discards take on a second life in these works.
My work frequently reveals interplay of circular forms and geometric designs. The different patterns and structures that occur create a mysterious relationship with one another. The evolving creative process and the path that each individual piece takes continually captivates me. Comparable to my days of creating quilts, ultimate satisfaction is achieved when the interaction of fabric, fibers and other enhancing materials have come forward and fit my earlier emotions and vision.
About the artist
Ineke Thomas was born in Holland and moved to a rubber and oil palm plantation on the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia until the age of 12 when she moved back to Holland. A pen pal relationship that began in 1962 brought her to North Carolina in 1964 where she met her husband of 47 years.
Thomas is a graduate of UNC-Greensboro with a BA in German/Education and later returned to earn a BA in French/Education. Upon her relocation to nearby Blowing Rock, she pursued a MA in French/Education at Appalachian State University. Thomas continues to teach French at Watauga High School as a substitute teacher.
Thomas participated in her first exhibition in 2011 when one of her works was selected for a juried exhibition in the Halpert Biennial Competition at the Turchin Center. Since then, Thomas has participated in the Blowing Rock Historical Society’s Artists at Edgewood 2011 exhibition, which permits local artists to exhibit and sell their works over a week show.
Thomas lives with her husband Lowell, in Blowing Rock. They have two adult daughters, Anja and Chelsea and four grandchildren.
