‘Colors Inside’ on Pleasanton Art League Wall

The Firehouse Arts Center is hosting local award-winning photographer, Vanessa Thomas, as its newest featured solo exhibition artist.

Visitors will be able to view the up-close intricacies of nature and floral scenes from the images. Thomas’ work will be displayed on the Pleasanton Art League Wall for the center’s visitors to see.

Thomas, originally from South Africa, now lives in and is based in Dublin. She has had public exhibitions shown in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She has also served as the co-founder of the Dublin Arts Collective, a nonprofit organization that encourages and advocates for young visual artists in the area.

“It’s nice to have something that is more mindful and connects us to a space of calm for a bit, that is why I like to share,” Thomas told the Weekly.

Thomas’ photography was largely driven by her passion for nature and flowers. Upon creating an online blog of the same subject matter, she began incorporating images into her posts.

“The easiest medium for me to use was photography, and so I started taking photos of the flowers I was finding,” Thomas said. “Photography was a lovely medium to show what I was seeing. It was a quick way for me to share that with people.”

With photography, Thomas seeks out the beauty in nature, mainly with floral specimens: “It brings me peace and solace when I’m taking photographs because you can immerse yourself, and you can find these little pieces of solace and calm. That’s what I like about it.”

Thomas hopes that her work reminds people to “keep supporting each other and keep connecting with things that add beauty to our lives.”

Finding connections and building relationships through the visual arts community in the Tri-Valley area has been significant for Thomas, notably with the Dublin Arts Collective.

“It’s my way of connecting with the world and finding a space of mindfulness when life gets a bit crazy,” she said. “You can find a space to reflect and be appreciative in those moments.”

The exhibition is presented by the Firehouse Arts Center and Harrington Gallery. Thomas’ showing, which opened last week, will be on display through Sept. 3.