Desiree Thomas (b. 1994) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Charlotte, NC who predominantly works in oils. In 2016, she earned her BA in studio art where she concentrated in printmaking and ceramics. In the following years, she became an art educator where she developed an affinity for oil painting and in 2022 completed an artist residency at Goodyear Arts. She’s exhibited with Black Cherry Magazine, Tchotchke Gallery, McColl Center and Goodyear Arts to name a few.

 

Provoked by her fascination with the human gaze; Thomas explores themes of beauty, power and identity through portraits and figuration. Through her lighthearted and at times erotically candid depictions, unconventional beauty is revered and highlighted through the celebration of their perceived flaws. Her intimate and often otherworldly portraits are self- reflective of her relationship with her own body, existence and identity as a Southern black femme. With bold colors and jubilant subject matter, her work becomes a celebration where she shows her vulnerable and playful side which is something that she, like many black femmes, are often denied. Through Thomas’ stylized renderings she is interested in creating a safe space for herself and others to be seen