Delaney Marie Thomas

I use fairy tales and storybooks as a form of escapism. When I was a child and my parents would put me to sleep, I would always have a flashlight and a book under my pillow to keep me company when the lights went off. Now that I am older, I continue to find my artistic inspiration by viewing the world through that lens of childlike curiosity and wonder. Even when addressing darker themes, I employ a color as a lens of hope to shine a new light on the matter. My art has evolved into my own storybook filled with paintings that document my experience. I find that life has become a fairytale in itself—a fairy tale that is filled with trials and tribulations, but also a series of continuous happy endings. The happiest moments of my life often arise from the parts of life that test my strength the most. Through the whimsical perspective of a child-like artist, my work recognizes moments where the light shines through and depicts them to inspire my viewers and give them hope.