Angela Thouless

Artist Statement

My passion for urban art was sparked during my first trip to Amsterdam in 2012. In the neighbourhood of the Spuistraat, home to a community of creative types, where I took countless pictures of decaying buildings and graffiti, traveling there almost every year to renew my repertoire. What attracted me was the impromptu and transient nature of street art as well as its multiculturalism, as many artists would come from outside the country to make murals.
My series of spray can tribal mask paintings was inspired by a workshop I led in my home town of Aberdeen, during which I painted on old spray cans. The suite is an exotic and luxuriant array of tribal masks incorporating elements from African, Asian, and South American traditions. The masks are depicted on spray cans and surrounded by lush patterns of plants and animals. The series has a distinct metropolitan feel and celebrates diversity through a message of unity: we are one species and one tribe.  

I have exhibited widely in the UK as well as all over Europe and North America. My work has appeared in publications such as Elle Decor, Red Magazine, and House & Garden.

What’s your background?

I have been tackling the subject of urban life since graduating in1999 from Gray’s School in 1999 with a BA (Hons) in Painting, going on to receive a Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Art & Design in 2000.

Since I was at art school I have always had a huge interest in tribal/primitive art.  It has inspired so many great artists that is why I first began looking at it.  In 2018 I was asked to show some of my artwork at Aberdeen Fashion Week and asked to create a special painting that could be auctioned for a Kenyan Orphanage GAGH.

Around this time I had began moving from painting large scale street art inspired canvases to walls.  While doing this I had an idea for a street art workshop painting and producing artwork on old spray cans which would have otherwise been thrown away.

I therefore decided to come up with a special tribal spray can face inspired by Kenyan tribal masks and picking up on the colours of the Kenyan flag.  It was this first piece that got my interested in looking into more African art and tribal art, tribal gods and ritual masks whose non-naturalistic, highly stylised forms embody powerful, highly expressive imagery.

Some of the designers encouraged me to move my artwork onto garments and my Tribe All t-shirt brand was born.  I wanted to prove there is no age when it comes to fashion and celebrate inclusivity with my T-shirts that merges my love for art with fashion. 

My artwork and the t-shirts are about multiculturalism connecting people on a global scale.

Originally, I was going to call my artwork and fashion brand Tribal, but decided to play on the words so the message of togetherness really came across, therefore, Tribe All, as in we are all one!  Lastly, Tribe All is also a play on my initial, AT, but in reverse.

What does it mean to you to win the Collectors Art Prize?

I am very honoured to pick up such an achievement. Getting any sort of recognition for my art is always exciting.

What do you think is the role of art in the world today?

In our modern society, art is a universal way for people to express themselves and share their feelings with the world. Art is an important avenue through which to connect with others, especially in times of crisis which is very topical right now. Ultimately, Art is a platform for people to express themselves and live out their dreams.

What would it be if you could change one thing about the art world?

Make it less exclusive and more inclusive to all regardless of if you have studied art through academic channels or not.  I am as you can see from my work a huge fan of street art.  I would like to see the gap bridged between street art and ‘high art’ as I feel street art has a very impromptu and transient nature to it which I love.

What are your most significant professional achievements?

I have been extremely lucky to have my work exhibited widely in the UK as well as all over Europe and North America. As an artist my artwork has appeared in publications such as Elle Decor, Red Magazine, and House & Garden. As a designer I have participated in the Aberdeen and Milan Fashion Weeks and had my brand featured in Vogue, Red, Wired, London Life, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.

I am currently signed for a year with the Agora Gallery in New York who currently represent my work along with the Artio Gallery in Canada.  I have always been a big fan of both German art and have always wanted to show my work in Berlin.  Luckily I am going to be getting that opportunity this year which is a dream come true at Galeria Azur in March 2023. They will also be representing me work for a year.

In 2022 I picked up the International Prize Caravaggio, Great Master Of Art award at the National Museum Of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci, Milan. Voices Of Tomorrow Award, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine and

Female Artist Of The Year, The Prestigious Awards International (8th Edition) YBEFS.

In 2019 I picked up Top Creative Designer at Aberdeen Fashion Arts, Fashion and Media Awards followed by Top Emerging Designer Of The Year 2019 at The Prestigious International/Your Brand Fashion Show.   In 2020 Tribe All won Barclay’s Bank Entrepreneur Awards, Rising Star 2020, Diverse Company Of The Year at the International Runway Achievers and Recognition Awards in Ireland and Scotland’s Top Fashion Designer Of The Year at the 2020 Arts, Media and Fashion Award - Aberdeen Fashion Week.

What do you wish to tell viewers about your work that might not come out explicitly? What do you hope to inspire with your artwork?

My passion for urban art was sparked during my first trip to Amsterdam in 2012. In the neighbourhood of Spuistraat, home to a community of creative types, I took countless pictures of decaying buildings and graffiti, travelling there almost every year to renew her repertoire. What attracted me was the impromptu and transient nature of street art as well as its multiculturalism, as many artists would come from outside the country to make murals.  My series of spray can tribal mask paintings was inspired by a chlidren’s workshop painting on old spray cans.

I have always had a very wild imagination with no limits.   Art should, I feel, lay bare what I perceive to be the inner essence of things through expressive interpretation.  It is indeed very difficult to come up with something totally different however I feel I have been able to successfully do this.  Mixing styles and artistic currents has always been in the experiments of artists over time and this has always brought incredible fruits and results that have changed the very way of experiencing art in many circumstances.   This is something I try to do in my own work and enjoy doing this.

My works of art present a set of styles that refer to distant and different cultures meeting on the canvases, creating a common space and world where they become something incredibly cool giving the viewer a real fantastic world in which everything seems possible. With this, I wish to celebrate the wonderful diversity there is in this world, while promoting a sense of togetherness. Despite our many differences, we are all one beautiful tribe.

What advice would you give to the upcoming generation of artists?  

Be bold and don’t be afraid to take a chance.  You never know where the next opportunity will lead you.  I never imagined that creating my first piece for a charity auction would lead to what it has.

In what direction would you like to see your career go in the next five years?

I would like to just keep on painting and see where it goes from here. I have already achieved a lot I never expected.  I have lots more inspiration and ideas for future work.

Country United Kingdom

Website www.angelathouless.com