Life & Work with Mary K. Thomas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary K. Thomas.  

Hi Mary, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey becoming a practicing professional in the Arts has been a wonderful experience. As an artist, art educator and community advocate through the Arts I have been able to share my passion for art with so many different groups from all over the city. I found that children having access to art enrichment programming for out-of-school time has a super positive impact on children of all ages. I also have taken art to seniors allowing them to experience the therapeutic healing powers of Art. I also can speak of the healing powers of art personally after surviving a stroke and ruptured brain aneurysm 22 years ago. My recovery from so much brain trauma was remarkable. As I return to school with my focus on Art and the therapeutic benefits of art therapy… I am now a Tri-C and Ursuline college alumni graduating summa c** laude. I started my small business officially 5 years ago, RhythmicartistryLLC, and in 2022 created a non-profit Rhythmic Art Studio. Between the two businesses I have grown my art services continuously, presently working with young scholars from Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Stephanie tubbs Jones Cleveland municipal School district cmsd and Cleveland Heights/University Heights City School District. I’m also presently working on several public art projects for the city of East Cleveland. The doors project repurposing and recycling doors from demolish homes creating art on them for the community. I have brought in eight artists collaborating with me to create the artwork, also, the community will be a huge part of this project creating three murals mainly designed by children. I would love to be able to create a small Artspace and storefront art gallery on Euclid Avenue for the community. I recently moved to the city of East Cleveland, moving from my house to an apartment. I saw East Cleveland as a blank canvas and began creating art for the city and 2021; the project’s name is the U and I of Euclid Avenue a gateway to East Cleveland. I was able to garner the financial support of spaces, the Fowler family foundation, and iob, and a lovely quilting group give two murals as a gift of Art to the city of East Cleveland. These two murals are located at the intersection of Euclid and Noble Road 16051 Euclid Avenue. Supporting other nonprofits is also something I believe in as I am on the board of directors for Food Strong, Coit Road Farmers Market, little Africa food co-op, and the CAN Journal. I often describe my life as a life beyond amazing. I also have three wonderful children, two boys and a girl, and nine beautiful grandchildren from 22 to 18 months, and I am still very involved with them as well. For more information about me, check out my website rhythmicartistry.com 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think my journey has been an amazing one. I dreamed for East Cleveland public art, and my artist friends told me Mary just do it!! So, I did, and now I have been funded many times the last 3 years. Just recently I was awarded a $10,000 Grant from the National endowment for the Arts, $15,000 Grand from the Cleveland foundation, a Room in the House Fellowship from Karamu Creative Arts Center and just completing a leadership residency with assembly for the Arts. I continue to grow my business as I have hired a staff assistant and accountant I team and website Plus. I love what I do. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love what I do all kinds of fun. But I think my greatest love is ceramics working in Black play is my ultimate favorite. But I also paint in oils and acrylics which that’s what I’m doing right now primarily. I began using copper with my black clay as a way to adorn and give contrast to my art. It is a stunning combination. As an art educator we have to like many mediums and work in many mediums if we are to share our gifts with the young scholars of tomorrow. Always learning and keeping myself open to all of the new technology as well. I am most proud of my recovery after the brain aneurysm which bled for today it left me unable to comprehend the written language, and I experienced some memory loss, so for me to be able to re-educate myself and to use art as a means to touch the lives of so many people in a positive way. Do we really know what’s sets us apart from others. All I know is that my faith and my art ability was what I had when I woke up after the brain surgery. My believing that all things are possible 

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Continuing to do outreach in the community. I did not let covid stop me from engaging, creating new ways to use art to impact the community that was under so much strain. Art has proven to be a very powerful tool during the covid crisis. 

Contact Info:

• Website: rhythmicartistry.com
• Instagram: Mary.k.thomas
• Facebook: Mary K Thomas
• Youtube: Art entrepreneur podcast Kent State number 206 and 207 January 2023