Sebastian Thomas is an American painter whose work re-imagines medieval iconography through a contemporary lens, blending mythic storytelling with reflections on modern culture. Drawing from illuminated manuscripts, altar paintings, and devotional objects, he creates densely composed works made of multiple panels that stage vivid encounters between saints, beasts, and heroes, serving as allegories for what he calls “the return of the dark ages.” His intricate surfaces and luminous palettes merge the richness of International Gothic painting with the wit and irreverence of popular culture.

Thomas formulates his own casein paints using traditional methods, treating craftsmanship as an act of devotion. Many of his works are assembled from interlocking panels connected with French cleats, a modular format that allows for reconfiguration and narrative play. Across these ornate tableaux, female protagonists including martyrs, sphinxes, and warriors emerge as central figures, embodying intelligence, resilience, and spiritual agency. By reviving pre-modern visual languages, Thomas critiques the technological and social hierarchies of the present, envisioning a world where mythic imagination resists digital domination.

Sebastian is Adjunct Faculty in the Painting and Drawing Department at Indiana University Northwest in Gary and a Lecturer at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is a recipient of the 2023 Municipal Art League Fellowship Award, the Joseph & Emily Gidwitz Scholarship, and the Presidential Scholar Award from KCAI.

His works have been featured nationally and internationally with Nashira Gallery in Milan, Studio Arts College International in Florence, the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design in New York City, and Zolla / Lieberman Gallery in Chicago Illinois.

Email: sebastianjhthomas@gmail.com