Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Avinger.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born and raised in Alief and moved to Katy during high school.. I am proud to be a Houstonian, our food, our diversity, our culture, our teams, all of it. I started teaching art in 2010 and over the last couple of years, I have stopped waiting and started creating. I attended The University of Houston where I obtained my BA in Art History and a minor in Graphic Design from Texas Tech, and I received my master’s degree from UHV in Educational Leadership. I am the acting Promotions Chair for TAEA and a Curriculum instructor for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education.
Please tell us about your art.
I mainly work with acrylic paint on canvas, but I dabble in woodworking and digital art as well. Recently, I have been painting pop art, Houston landmarks, and food. Really just letting the city and my interests be my collective muse. I have been fortunate enough to put my art in a few shows and galleries around Houston, and I have been working with the 310 gallery in Richmond to bring in more artists and gain more exposure for art in the area. With all of the exposure Houston has been getting recently for diversity, food culture and young nightlife, I believe we are close to a new wave of artists coming from our city, and I am doing my part to give my home a voice.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Stop waiting, start creating. The greats weren’t great because they could paint at birth, they were great because they painted a lot. You learn through failures; you learn what worked and what not to do again. There is definitely something to the ‘how many times can you get back up” quote when it comes to finding your voice in your work or following your bliss.
Use your community. Social media is a wonderful tool with many artists like us that are willing to help or share. It gets this misnomer as a bad thing, but it can be a wonderfully powerful collaborative tool as well.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
https://www.etsy.com/shop/
@mravinger
Above is my shop and social media
Follow me to see what I’m creating currently and where my rt is displayed. I also offer prints, originals and commissions on my Etsy shop.
Contact Info:
- Website: mravinger.com
- Email: thomasavinger@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mravinger/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomasvinger/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mravinger?lang=en
Image Credit:
Thomas Avinger
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition, please let us know here.
