Acclaimed Artist's Last Work Seen For First Time At New Exhibit

GREENPORT, NY — The final works of a beloved North Fork artist are now on view in a collection in Greenport that reflects shifting social attitudes, political tenor and the visual landscapes of the places she was surrounded by and deeply concerned with.

The exhibit, "Tommy Thomas: Constructions & Her Final Works," is on view through July 30 at VSOP Projects, located at 311 Front Street.

The late Tommy Thomas (1920-2016), was a New York City/Southold artist and acclaimed editor of the prestigious U.S. Camera Annual. Thomas’ sculptures and works on paper explore the architectural landscape of the places she loved best, including New York City, Long Island’s North Fork, and Key West. Through her prolific artistic production and her work as one of the most important photo editors of her time, Thomas left a rich legacy — and the exhibit offers a rare chance to view her collection on the North Fork, the place where she found artistic inspiration and shared many happy years with partner Ellen "Pucky" Violett.

"It is a great honor for us to have the opportunity to present Tommy's work here at the gallery," said Jonathan Weiskopf, director at VSOP Art & Design Projects. "Many of the pieces we are presenting here are from the artist's own collection, works that she was particularly fond of, that represented key moments in her practice, works that portrayed monumental events from our shared histories, and works that she and her partner of 45 years lived alongside in their Southold home."

He added, "We also have the opportunity to offer 'The Women on the Wall,' the final works Ms. Thomas made before her passing in 2016. She continued to produce these art pieces well into her 90s, and it is bittersweet for us to work with Tommy's family to find collections for these important works."

Included in the exhibition are a number of Thomas' Constructions. Delicately assembled from wood, aluminum foil, craft scraps and photocopies, and often incorporating naively rendered human characters, these rudimentary-yet-enchanting architectural “models” soulfully depict vibrant cityscapes and country facades, with all of their virtues and afflictions; the marquee of the Fabulous Fox Theatre on the night of a screening of Casablanca, Bergman and Bogey prominently featured, he said.

"The Women on the Wall," a constellation of figurative sculptures made during Thomas' final years, is exhibited at VSOP for the first time. Archetypal female characters such s those portrayed in "Trophy Wife" and "Foreclosure" anchor this group of 16 feminist icons — rockers, strippers, fashionistas, mothers-to-be and other self-empowered women.

Mary “Tommy” Thomas was born and raised in Saugus, Massachusetts. After her parents divorced, she followed her mother to New York City where, “after a stint in secretarial school and a few unappealing office jobs,” she landed at U.S. Camera Annual, where she became editor and made a lasting mark before moving on to a full-time pursuit of art making.

Thomas began her Constructions in the early 1980s, prior to which she had painted, “but not seriously,” she reportedly said. Her first exhibition at New York’s Touchstone Gallery on 57th Street was a critical and commercial success. Other exhibitions included the Atlantic Gallery and Arthur Williams Gallery in New York City, Elaine Benson Gallery in Water Mill, the Gingerbread Square Gallery in Key West, FL, the Northridge Gallery, in Ridgefield, CT, and the Bay Street Theatre Gallery in Sag Harbor.

On Friday, a private reception for the North Fork Women for Women Fund will be held at the VSOP gallery.

The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and other times by appointment. For additional information, call 631-603-7736.

Patch photos courtesy VSOP Art & Design Projects.