Five best places to visit in North Norfolk - captured by the artist himself.

Samuel Thomas - Norfolk artist shares five Norfolk places he’s been inspired by, in pictures!

 First, we have a sunset vision of Cromer titled ‘Silky Wet Sands’. Cromer is my hometown, I was born and raised there, and lived there until I was 30. Therefore, I have many nostalgic memories of this place with friends and family, but also in my quest to become an artist. I always find it stress relieving to go and walk the shoreline and catch a sunset over the wet sands of Cromer. It’s an incredible scene. 

Next, Norwich, specifically Norwich Market. What I love about Norwich (where I now live) is how the marketplacebrings together such a diverse group of people in a small area. There’s a thriving, bustling atmosphere and everyone always seems friendly. Norwich is a very beautiful city, full of historic charm and character. 

Thirdly, we have Felbrigg Woods, with its ‘Victory V’ tree-lined avenue. The entire Felbrigg Hall National Trust Estate is a very atmospheric place, with cattle grazing, a remote church, a hidden lake area - it could be a great place for a film set. The woods themselves for me are very beautiful and again walking in woodland is a calming, grounding yet uplifting experience - something I try to capture in my woodland paintings. 

 Sheringham Park, and the viewpoint captured in this painting entitled ‘Train Through Weybourne’. Sheringham Park is a great place to escape the crowds and to get some exercise. There is a tall viewing tower platform from which you can see the iconic steam train journey through the landscape. I use my artistic licence to re-arrange things on the canvas, but it’s the atmosphere and the wonder of a moment which is what I aim to capture. I like the timeless nostalgia of such a view. 

Lastly, Holkham Beach, as shown in this artwork of the beach huts from Wells looking towards Holkham. I love nature, so having the pinewoods of Holkham right alongside the sand dunes and the beach means you get three diverse landscape qualities in one area. The beach hut area itself draws the crowds but away from here you can feel as if you have the whole beach to yourself as it’s such a wide-open expanse. With Holkham Hall being so close by, this place really is perfect for a weekend away. 

Now painting full-time, Samuel is a self-taught artist, and describes his diverse body of work as ‘the art of optimism’. Ithas also championed, at times, the art of improvisation. In his early days as a painter, Samuel was working in hospitality and had little money for art materials but didn’t let this hold him back. Instead, he got creative: dried up coffee found its way into a Cromer sunset painting; a broken surfboard found on the beach was taken home and used to a paint a Cromer panoramic onto; floorboards from the studio were rescued from a skip and became the basis for a series of paintings using wood grain as the key pattern; a life ring washed up on the beach after the 2013 tidal surge was used by Samuel as ‘a 3D artwork to commemorate how we can pick ourselves up and rebuild our lives in the face of adversity.’

Norfolk artist’s inspiring story of success.

AN ARTY EXISTENCE 

Self taught Norfolk artist Samuel Thomas uses a plethora of unusual materials. 

Artist Samuel Thomas has been painting for 16 years now. He is now a full time professional artist living in Norwich and selling his artwork worldwide. However, success for him was a long and winding process, and he has always been determined to make it. In the beginnings of his career he would use a multitude of materials to paint on - to create really unique pieces…..

Samuel Thomas shares his story to inspire you to also take action on the things you may wish to pursue in your lives (creative or otherwise). There is always an excuse we can tell ourselves to justify not starting - but when it comes down to it, it’s only ourselves standing in the way of our own success. Cromer born and raised artist Samuel Thomas shares his story below.

I was 22 when I decided that I wanted to become a full time contemporary artist. And I had left university early with only experience of working in hospitality jobs. But I believe that if you have strong enough determination and conviction, I believe you can forge success along the way. 

From 22 to 37……. Time flies when you’re painting EVERYTHING you can get your hands on!

In my early days I would finish my shift at my full time bar job, and then go home to carry on painting in the studio. I didn’t have much money for artist materials, but I had a big imagination - and therefore I used lots of unconventional materials to create some of my artworks. It was BECAUSE I was self taught that meant I was open to new ideas and new ways of working - that is proof that you can turn a disadvantage into a unique strength if you persist. 

So for example, one morning I found dried up coffee in my cup - and decided to use coffee to paint with - resulting in a Cromer sunset painting that later sold and made its way to Germany. 

Walking the beach I once found an old broken surfboard - which I then took home and painted a Cromer panoramic on it. It later sold to a customer in London. Over the years my audience has expanded over the years, where I now regularly ship artwork to clients worldwide.

The old floorboards from the Cromer studio had been put in the skip by the builders. I then pulled them out and created a series of paintings using the wood grain as the key pattern on landscapes including the Norfolk Broads as shown below:

I once found an old life ring washed up on Cromer beach after the 2013 tidal surge that had destroyed all of the Cromer beach huts in Norfolk. I decided to use the piece as a 3D artwork to commemorate how we can pick ourselves up and rebuild our lives in the face of adversity. 

I once used sand on my paintings to create a snow type texture. I also used old playing cards on my depiction of Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament as shown in this London painting below:

In later years the materials I found got bigger and more complex; for example I painted 3D dragon sculptures for Norwich’s art trail. And more recently I painted a real beach hut using that as the canvas - of which  I return this summer to re-paint a new design on it.

So to summarise, don’t use excuses to talk yourself out of starting something that you really want to pursue. Whether it’s a hobby or an ambitious full time venture, remember that it’s only your own limiting beliefs that hold you back. A little trick is to tell yourself ‘I will” replacing the habit you may have of saying ‘I can’t because of…..x, y or z’.

I hope that inspires you to start your new venture.

WIN This Original Painting!

You could be in with a chance of winning this original painting. All you have to do is subscribe to my email subscriber list, and you’ll automatically be added to the competition. To subscribe, click here: SUBSCRIBE TO NEWS.

It depicts a cherry blossom tree that has grown into a love heart shape.This beautiful painting is beautifully presented in a floating presentation frame without glass. The framed item measures 61 X 51cm. Created in Artist’s quality imitation gold leaf and acrylic paint, varnished.

The competition ends on the closing day of the art exhibition - the 6th May 2024. The winner will be selected at random, and will be announced directly via email.

If you are interested in visiting the art exhibition, these are the details:

29th March - 6th May. (Open everyday 9.30 - 4.30pm (closed tuesdays)

At the W gallery, 45a Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, Suffolk. IP12 1AH

The Art of Optimism Exhibition

Local artist Samuel Thomas tells us about his latest exhibition The Art of Optimism

A large solo exhibition by one of East Anglia’s most optimistic artists comes to Suffolk for five weeks in March. The exhibition showcases the true diversity and breadth of the artist, Samuel Thomas, featuring 35 recent original paintings. 

This exciting exhibition marks the 15 year anniversary since Samuel Thomas set out to become a full-time artist. It’s his first large face-to-face exhibition since 2016. We speak in depth with Samuel about this exhibition. 

Why have you chosen The Art of Optimism for the exhibition title?

My paintings are projections of the self into an aspirational future, they capture the ultimate states we wish to live in. It’svitally important to have visions of an inspiring future because it keeps us persevering towards it, in the face of adversity.

How would you describe your artwork?

My signature style of artworks are vibrant geometric pop art inspired Norfolk and Suffolk landscape paintings. They radiate colour, pattern and joy, and they capture that feeling of rejuvenation that we experience from being out in nature itself. My artwork has been featured in the BBC and is collected nationally and internationally. I am influenced by a number of styles. Essentially the artworks form an eclectic mix which are contemporary and timeless with an encompassing theme of unrelenting optimism.

My painting style and subject has developed, and recently I have formed a new collection of moodier and darker atmospheric landscapes paintings which form part of this exhibition. 

Why should we come along to this exhibition?

I’m exhibiting large acrylic on canvas original paintings with some created in gold leaf. The landscape paintings depict the woodland, countryside and the coast as well as some dreamscape portrayals. Plus, the collection titled Masters Remastered, are iconic artworks celebrated in my own unique re-interpretation. Some limited edition prints will be available from £125, and all of the artwork is available to purchase with originals starting from £1450. Plus, there will be an exciting original painting giveaway, as well as a silent auction painting in support of EACH charity. The exhibition is free to attend and it’s an informal welcoming environment for everyone.

In addition, Stephen Watkins (the owner of the contemporary W Gallery of Woodbridge, Suffolk) will also be showing his distinctive architectural originals.

WHERE: The W Gallery, 45a Thoroughfare, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1AH. thewgallery.co.uk

WHEN: March 29 to May 6. 9.30am to 4.30pm every day. Closed Tuesdays.

I will be present for the entirety of the event. 

You work in three key styles - Tell us why.

For me as an artist, painting is a true self expression of my thoughts and interpretation of the world around me. Consequently if I were to paint in one uniformed style that would be me professing that I’ve figured it all out and that there is no room for me to grow as a person/artist. But I am self aware enough to realise that I am just like the next person, complete with my own share of human flaws and much like everybody else - just figuring life out one step at a time. And therefore you will see a natural modulation and exploration throughout my painting collection.

‘Creativity is intelligence having fun. I am open to new ideas and I will always be continually learning and growing as a person & artist.’

I work in three key styles, the collection of paintings form THE ART OF OPTIMISM. Each style explores the theme of optimism from a different perspective; NOW, in the FUTURE and lastly to MAKE SENSE of things in order to understand why it’s so imperative that we remain optimistic in the first place.

Pop art geometric style.

My signature style and what I am known for (having painted in this style for 15 years) is the Geometric Pop art style of painting. It’s all about living in the moment and basking in the good times in life once they’ve arrived. It’s completely hedonistic and liberating. In contrast to the softer, textured, moodier atmospheric paintings that are more realistic in representing the landscape around us. This painting style explores optimism from the standpoint of being aware that we must often accept the long and arduous journey through the dark and challenging times in order to attain the brighter days that lay ahead of us in the distant future - remaining optimistic is what keeps us persevering. The final style I work in is the Dreamscape portrayals of the world with a surreal element to them. They explore the impermanence and the fragility of life, focusing on love, time and death - but in doing so they illuminate how precious and sacred life is and how imperative it is to remain optimistic even when we’re lost, defeated or challenged. Together all three key collections of paintings form The Art of Optimism.

Realistic textural style.

Many artists work in one key style that they’re known for and this becomes their signature style - they continue to paint in this style as the years and decades go on. However, for me I would liken the way I navigate my artist journey similarly to how musicians (who have stood the test of time,) work over a lifetime - where they naturally return every 5 years or so with a new style or iteration. They become the masters of reinvention. I fit into that idea as I believe the creative soul is never content for a long period of time. It’s natural to evolve, develop and change over time because it mirrors our own personal journey of self discovery and shifting philosophies we live by as we venture through life.

For example the artwork David Hockney is celebrated for predominately is his pop art inspired paintings. But his wider collection includes various styles and mediums including photo collage to surreal dark and haunting paintings. People wouldn’t say that Hockney is ‘lost’, but rather they celebrate his diversity.

Personally and professionally as an artist (as the two are interwoven) I am a restless soul - but that doesn’t mean I am lost with no key sense of direction. Quite the opposite - I am focused and relentless in my natural quest to paint.

Some people who are restless souls use meditation as a way to calm themselves and work through it. I turn to painting as my form of meditation to work through the thoughts and ideas in my head - and this is explored on canvas. Therefore somedays I am feeling pensive and moody and contemplative, other days I’m feeling content or even euphoric. No matter how I am feeling I always hold onto optimism. Therefore my collection of paintings is diverse in style yet united in the exploration of the theme of optimism. And the key philosophy behind all of my paintings is ….‘A vision of an inspiring future keeps us persevering throughout life‘s challenges.’

Dreamscape surreal style.

When it comes to my dreamscape style of art work these are more contemplative and surreal with an element of suspended reality. This collection comes from my sketchbook, in this way it serves as a type of mindset journal. Some people use written word and journals to work through their ideas and beliefs, but for me sketching is my tool to make sense of the world around me. I decided to release this collection of artworks because the philosophies were quite profound for me and therefore I believe they may also resonate with other people.

With Dreamscape I learnt that you cannot always live in a state of being optimistic, but it is important to try. Love, time, death and the impermanence and the fragility of life are concepts and ideas that illuminate how precious and sacred life is. Life doesn’t always seem to make sense to us, but it’s up to us to try and make sense of it. It’s important to remain optimistic especially when we’re still desperately trying to resolve our issues or as we strive towards the things we believe will make us happy. We can’t just blindly go through life being optimistic all of the time, sometimes we have to take a step back and reevaluate our personal values and beliefs to make sure that the things we’re chasing after will in fact make us happy.

To summarise, for me as a person and as an artist, remaining optimistic in my life is key. Therefore optimism runs throughout all of my paintings, irrespective of their subject, style or medium variances.

Feeling The World More Intensely

That’s what it’s always been about - feeling the world more intensely.

Every single one of my paintings aims to capture a moment in reality but to increase its significance or the feeling that it gives us. Usually that’s a celebration of the perfect summer’s day in the countryside or at the coast.

Predominantly my collection of paintings are all about celebrating the pursuit of the good life. The moments in life that confound the fact that life really is worth it - in respect of challenge and adversity. In some paintings there is a sense of nostalgia, whereas others capture a moody atmosphere. But sure enough in every painting there is always an element of looking towards the light - an element of unwavering optimism. There is always something in the paintings that carry us through some of life’s more challenging moments. 

Life has a habit of becoming what we focus on, and therefore I always naturally gravitate towards vibrant and joyful landscape visions. After-all:

Life imitates art.

Art imitates life. 

It’s also paradoxical, because I have often found myself creating my most vibrant and colourful paintings when I have been caught up in a slump of low moods and feeling bleak. But the process of painting which I liken it to meditation (because of the deep mental process that goes alongside the action of painting itself) gives similar benefits: In the process of painting itself - I begin to feel better in the current moment itself. I feel more hopeful with an elevated mindset and increased feeling of conviction and belief that better things are just over the horizon. I guess it’s a case that painting brings me to life - it helps me feel life more intensely by focusing on the vibrant and joyful landscapes that surround us. Or perhaps (as it can be paradoxical) the process of painting helps me escape feeling life so intensely - should it be a negative mood I have slipped into - which is the thing I am trying to escape from.

In our lives - I guess we’re all hungry and restless for something. And we must find a way to calm our restlessness and be content with our current levels of fullness, and the current moment itself . I guess for me painting does exactly that - it calms me and it reminds me that “this is enough”. 

The Art Of Living Consciously

Painting for me was never just about painting something. It was about realising a vision.

You see, I believe that we humans are put here on this earth and we all have an inbuilt vision and a purpose to fulfil. For me painting was about learning to understand that we can actualise our purpose - if we put our minds to it of course - as nothing ever comes easy. The process of painting and creation parallels to how we live our lives.

We may have a big dream or a bold vision of how we want our lives to play out. But in life we firstly must define the dream, and then use the many tools at our disposal to get to work on making it a reality.

It’s about going somewhere and discovering something worthwhile along the way.

I’ve always seen a brighter future ahead - and therefore I am compelled to pick up a paint brush to define it. I work hard everyday focusing , learning new techniques, occasionally making mistakes or discovering something new I hadn’t anticipated- all the while getting closer towards creating that ‘vision’ on a canvas.

When the painting is complete I gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and I feel ignited and engaged to know that as humans we have an ability to actulaise our dreams if we just focus our minds and let our hunger and our determination prevail - especially when we find something we believe is worthy of doing. It’s that something that keeps us up at night, that something that makes us jump out of bed in the morning. It’s something bigger than ourselves.

Surely that in itself is the art of living consciously.

Your instincts and your subconscious thoughts are guiding you towards your true purpose and mission. Listen to them.

Along this journey of self discovery there are many things to master, getting over self doubt, learning to accept failure at times, navigating the world and learning who we truly are and what we are truly living for. It’s all in the name of discovering our true sense of self and purpose.

Different people who may not be creatives can find this in other areas of their lives, whether that be to actualise the vision of raising the perfect family, or becoming a chef or a wood carver. It’s that certain thing that keeps us awake at night. But it all parallels to the process of having a vision and having enough passion, conviction, determination and hunger to see it through.

So whatever it is that keeps you awake at night and niggles at you from time to time, don’t ignore it, tune into it and have a go at pursuing that dream or vision. And don’t get overwhelmed with the worry of failing, I have failed many times but I see failure as the building bricks towards future success.

Don’t just live a life you think you should live, instead tune into that deep burning desire and have a go - you may discover it’s been waiting for you your whole life!

Figure out what it is - and get to work building it. Like building sandcastles in the sand, but remember time is running out, so don’t wait too long or else your dreams may vanish with the incoming tide.

Some of these deeper thoughts, philosophies and delving into our subconscious minds are themes explored in my collection of sketches that make up the DREAMSCAPE COLLECTION.

Supporting Epilepsy Research UK

On the 2nd July 2022 this original painting sold, and £2,150 went to Epilepsy Research UK.

It was all in the name of the ‘Ellen Mezzetti Memorial Fund’, she tragically lost her life in 2006 when she was just 16 from an epileptic seizure. In the years since, her family have raised money towards epilepsy research UK. I wanted to be a part of their fundraising efforts, and they made a collective £13,000 this 2022.

I was inspired by the family’s story, where they wanted to turn their tragedy of losing their daughter into a process of lasting change for a wider community of those living with epilepsy. The painting was one of the prizes available on their charity auction evening. So far the family have helped raise £151,000 towards Epilepsy Research since they began their fundraising campaign.

The art of giving back…….. recently I read about an artist who’s mission was to live the first half of his life working hard to become an established and valued artist. And the second half of his life was to use his established position to raise money and contribute to as many charities and worthy causes as possible. This really spoke to me and gave me a burning purpose behind my painting mission.

The “Ellen Mezzetti Memorial Fund’ was set up after Ellen (above) tragically died in 2006 .

The Art of Banksy

Celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Banksy’s Great British Spraycation 2021 - I’ve created two new original paintings.

So what’s the inspiration and the story behind these original paintings?

Banksy highlighted many political, economic and social problems in his spray paintings of 2021 along the Norfolk & Suffolk coast. However many of us got caught up in the mystery behind who was responsible for these artworks rather than focusing on the issues they highlighted. So when Banksy officially confirmed he was responsible on the 10th august 2021 it lead many of us to end our questioning. But there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the problems that Banksy highlighted. One key question (on a personal level) is; How do we manage to remain positive and optimistic in our mindset when we live in a world where the newsfeed constantly updates us on the next devastating headline? The answer I believe is mindset, this may sound naive and over simplistic - but hear me out……

If we learn to foster a positive mindset we learn to look at problems as temporary challenges, we learn to look for the lessons to learn from setbacks or gain perspective by understanding conflicting sides of an argument. I am not saying we should ignore our problems, but I am saying we should be careful not to fixate on them. It is a fact that people who start their day by watching the news each morning are 27% more likely to feel negative and bleak about their future, this means we start our everyday feeling defeated and pessimistic. Mindset is important because when we are faced with our problems and a questioning on what to do, we have 2 choices - we either march forward optimistically searching for the possible solutions, or we fixate on how difficult life is and we give up on seeking solutions entirely. Remaining optimistic means we see a future ahead of us that is worth chasing after.

This series of events in the last year since Banksy’s 2021 Spraycation has inspired the painting below where initially the focus of the painting centres on the mystery of Banksy himself. But when we step back and learn to see the bigger picture (stepping back physically from the graffit on the sea wall, to then see a moon over a town (Cromer) which represents the wider world around us), there are bigger questions that we still need to find the answers to. In the process of finding those answers, a healthy mindset can contribute greatly - something many of us have adopted since the shake up of 2020. To summerise, what has changed in a year, not much in terms of the unrelenting political problems that show up, however what’s changed and what can have a fundamental lasting effect on our futures is an improved mindset that we all learn to adopt. The questions remain, but what’s changed is how we go about finding the answers.

This painting (above) is titled: ‘Golden Banksy’ and shows the specific spot where Banksy made his graffiti statement on the sea wall of Cromer.

This (above) is the second painting and it is titled ‘Illusion’. It’s all about the importance of wanting in life. Firstly it is inspired by the view from where Banksy created his own graffiti on the Cromer sea wall, but I have taken one of Banksy’s most celebrated pieces ‘The girl with the Balloon’ and brought her to Cromer! The painting is inspired by the following philosophy….

Happiness itself can evade us if we try and chase after it directly. I recently learnt that being happy is a bi-product of man’s quest of working hard to make other people happy. That we feel truly alive and fulfilled when we are growing, giving and pushing hard towards the things that we truly desire. Even if our dreams and desires feel as if they are just out of our reach (symbolised here with the girl reaching for the balloon) - that is what keeps us persevering. Rarely in life do we get all that we desire but life is also about what we learn to give and contribute along the way rather than being fixated on what we are getting.

We all have big dreams, hopes and aspirations but often they can feel like they are slipping away from us. And it can feel impossible to hold onto such wild dreams when we’re caught up in the daily reality and monotonity of life itself. Life is a careful balance between juggling our duties and reaching towards our desires. We cannot really live a fulfilled life without the two elements working together because we need the struggle and the challenge in working towards what we desire. It is often the case that our dreams need to feel like they are just out of reach in order to keep us preserving towards them.

When we do occasionaly manifest those dreams we have been chasing after, it is the pain and the struggle that contributes towards how much we value and appreciate the reward. That is the philosophy that inspires this original painting.

The artworks are available

The artworks are being released in the following formats:

• The original paintings are available. ‘Golden Banksy’ is 100 X 100 cm, Acrylic and gold leaf on deep boxed canvas, ready to hang.

• There is a super-exclusive hand finished limited edition print available (edition size 1/10). This artwork is a printed canvas with each one uniquely hand finished with painting highlights, neon paint, gold leaf and varnish. Presented on deep boxed canvas within a black wooden surround giving the style and appearance of the original painting but at a more affordable price. These are sized at 90 X 90cm. £995.

• A limited edition paper print (Edition size 195) presented within a white mount. Individually titled, numbered and signed by the artist. These start from £195

1 Year Anniversary of Banksy’s Norfolk Takeover.

It’s been a year on since Banksy’s Great British Staycation. But what’s changed and what’s stayed the same in the last year?

When we discovered on the 10th August 2021 that it was officially Banksy that had created the ‘Great British Staycation’ our minds were in an excited and optimistic stance. Here in the UK we were finally coming out of a year of lockdowns and social restrictions were finally being lifted and it felt like ‘the good life’ was here to stay.

Learning to see things from a different perspective could be the greatest tool we have in coping with our lives and the problems we face.

However since then other political and economic problems have arisen in the last year as they always do. It does seem that in many senses we are going backwards and the current state of affairs can seem bleak. However is it all bad? Artists in particular are always looking to see things from a different perspective and looking forward at the ‘bigger picture’. History has taught me that we may as well try and make the best of a bad situation because historically one set of political and economic problems will only ever be displaced with new ones. Problems are inevitable, but how we choose to personally react to our problems can have either devastating or beneficial consequences for us.

On a personal level, if we can learn to appreciate the smaller joys in life - the ones that don’t cost much money at all - we can learn to find personal happiness and joy in a lifestyle that relies less and less on our income. In short we can learn to be happier with far fewer things and less need for money. Afterall studies backed by science show us that the things we need to be happy in life are often free or do not cost much money at all. But unfortunately our consumerist lifestyles don’t always allow us to see or practice this perspective.

There is an art form to living a happy life. We cannot control our problems but we can choose how we react to them.

To summarise, it’s been a year on since Banksy’s Great British Staycation. And Great Britain may not seem so great right now in light of the political and economic issues that have arisen. But something that can remain great is our mindset and the way we ‘choose’ to appreciate our lives inspite of the problems we face.

A quote that Abraham Lincoln was famed for, that perfectly summeraises the point is this: ‘folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be’ . Our political and economic problems are here to stay but perhaps many of us have learnt to adopt a happier and healthier mindset to live by since we were all forced to pause, reevaluate and gain a deeper sense of perspective of life itself during the lockdowns of 2020.

There are two sides to every coin, when things are taken away from us, we learn to appreciate what is left. These reflections of life come from my collection of artworks titled DREAMSCAPE.

Celebrating Banksy - The Great British Spraycation 2021

SO BANKSY – WHAT IS THE ANSWER ?  

Cromer artist Samuel Thomas admires the profound work of the elusive BANKSY, and he points out ‘With Banksy highlighting some very important issues to be solved, what are the answers?’

So Banksy’s got us all questioning – ‘Is this another official Banksy creation?’ But let’s not get too distracted in all of the excitement. What is the real valuable question we should be concerned about?  

Banksy has highlighted some complicated humanitarian problems at home and abroad from second-home displacement In the UK to the refugee crisis in his recent East Anglian spraycation offerings. However fixating too much on the problems themselves never really gets us anywhere, so shouldn’t we really be asking ourselves: ‘What are the solutions?  

Samuel Thomas explains his point of view…… Let me be clear, this is in no way a criticism of Banksy as I admire his work. I am just harking back to Banksy’s true intent, he is re-affirming the problems to prompt us to discuss and seek out the best possible solutions. My own artworks, many of which are based on Cromer itself are far removed from Banksy’s real-world statements that are often politically charged and controversial. I produce artwork to pursue pure escapism creating optimistic paintings to envision the perfect places and the ideal futures we wish for that are filled with joy and abundance. Although I am aware of the problems that surround us I believe there is a real need for mental-escape because without dreams and compelling visions of our futures, we can lose hope. Although my artworks themselves are far removed from that of Banksy, we both desire a future that is free of problems and is as close to utopia as we can obtain.  

But of course in reality we can’t always escape our problems. This is probably the reason Banksy has deliberately chosen the idyllic seaside towns as a way to remind us all that even when we are enjoying the perfect day of sun, sea and sand - our problems still exist. We can’t hope that climate change or the refugee crisis will go away. We can’t just look to one person or one group in society such as the politicians to solve our problems either. I think the answer lies within all of us, as Barak Obama once said: ‘Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.’  

The purpose of art is to connect us and we are connected through our problems, the last year especially has re-affirmed that. Banksy encourages us to think about the problems that exist and to ask ourselves on a daily basis: ‘What can I do that will somehow improve these problems?’ 

For example, I know that these is no cure for Cancer but there is treatment. Therefore recently I have used my passion for art to raise help raise £5k towards Cromer’s Macmillan Cancer treatment centre. This has spurred me on to figure out how I can help other worthy causes going forward. 

When it comes to the other problems out there, perhaps part of the answers lie within all of us collectively to make a difference. Many of us, in all professions, from all walks of life share the same belief: We desire the perfect future, but some part of us know we will never quite get there, but that’s what keeps us persevering. It is the ongoing challenge in trying to solve our own problems and the world’s problems that keeps us going.’ Artists could be thought of as the biggest ‘hopeless dreamers’ of all - but we need dreams to help pull us into the future.   

Let’s enjoy Banksy’s artwork, but let’s ask ourselves the real valuable question:  

What can I do as of tomorrow to help build towards a more optimistic future? 

‘Kings, Queens & Jokers’ – An original painting by Samuel Thomas depicting the houses of parliament that is a satirical look at the game of politics within our lives. The artist has used the Kings, Queens, and Jokers playing cards within the picture as a way to point fun at the politicians of whom we often refer to as ‘Jokers’ when they fail to deliver the solutions to our problems. But we should remind ourselves that politicians can only ever do so much, and we ourselves hold the power to make a difference.  

Best Things to do in Cromer, Norfolk

It’s all in the art of feeling good…… A relaxing staycation in Cromer, Norfolk. It’s known as ‘Cromer - Gem of the Norfolk Coast’- the place that World renowned Banksy recently put on the map in 2021 with his spraycation publicity stunt. If it’s good enough for Banksy - then it’s good enough for us!

If you are looking for a peaceful and rejuvenating staycation at a picturesque and charming seaside town - then ‘Come to Cromer’, a statement made famous by the 1920 come to the seaside railway posters. A style of artwork that is celebrated in my Pop art meets Art Deco fusion.

I champion the town as it is my hometown. I was born here and I grew up here. I’ve seen the place change - as I have also changed and grown along the way. But I have learnt that from time to time when we are worn out and in need of a holiday - we should do what the Victorians did - and head to the seaside for some rest and rejuvenation.

To enjoy the place as much as you can, here are 7 things to do in Cromer, (and the surrounding areas)

7 Best things to see and do in Cromer, Norfolk ……..

1) Visit the End Of The Pier Show , it’s one of the last remaining end of the pier shows remaining in Great Britain. The pier itself retains the Victorian splendour from its hay day, of which you can learn about the history of the traditional fishing town in Cromer Museum.

2) Visit Rocky Bottoms, the family run seafood restaurant to try a world famous Cromer Crab. It’s run by the local fishing family ‘The Matthews’ situated on the cliff top and it has some beautiful sunset views. The restaurant itself and the grounds have been lovingly presented and it’s the perfect setting to try the top quality local seafood caught fresh that morning. Find out more here

3) Visit the Garden House Gallery in central Cromer, a collective of local artists have been brought together by the community minded Kate Gale, the gallery owner who brings such delight to tourists and local people by running this charming and quirky art gallery. She has great taste, so obviously she has featured my work in her vibrant collection !! Find out more here

4) Stay at the Grove Guest House, the owner has a unique vision for creating a guest house with a real difference. There is the historic guest house to stay in, or opt to stay in their luxury log cabins in the garden grounds, or choose to join them on their glamping site during the summer, Find out more here

5) Walk the beautiful cliff top pathway and visit Sheringham and Overstrand along the cliff tops and back along the beach. This is part of the beautiful hiking pathway known as The North Norfolk Coast Path. Cromer is one of the only places where you can watch the sunrise and the sunset on the same day from down on the beach.

6) Visit Felbrigg Hall National Trust site, just a 5 minute drive on outskirts of Cromer. Many of my woodland and tree inspired paintings were inspired by this place. Discover my woodland inspired artworks here

7) Visit the beautiful beach - see the red arrows fly over if you are lucky to be if you happen to be in Cromer for the world famous Cromer Carnival . See my Red Arrow inspired artworks here

If you are planing to go or have recently been to Cromer, then here are some of my Cromer inspired artworks that celebrate the historic fishing town. These limited edition prints come from my large collection of diverse artworks. I began my painting career back when I was 22, living in Cromer, and therefore it was Cromer that caught my imagination and offered me so much inspiration as I grew into the artist that I am today.

See Cromer inspired artworks here:

WINNER ANNOUNCED - Charity to benefit.

CONGRATULATIONS - We have collectively raised £5000 for Cromer’s new Macmillan Cancer treatment centre. Thank you to everyone that entered the online competition - art giveaway. YOU have all helped to build a more optimistic future for us all.

The winner has been announced and his special original painting will be delivered to him very soon.

The Charity raffle we ran was planned to run up until 31st August, however we received high demand and therefore we sold out of the available tickets before that date. With such incredible interest we SOLD OUT on 20th August and the raffle is NOW CLOSED

Thank You

Macmillan Charity Competition - SOLD OUT due to high demand.

Supporting Macmillan - This Charity Giveaway competition will raise significant funding for the New Macmillan Treatment Centre - in Cromer, Norfolk.

I’ve always painted in a way to highlight and focus on a more optimistic future ahead of us, as a way to pull us through the darker times in life. This painting was created with that in mind especially for this Fundraising campaign. The Charity approached me to help with their fundraising efforts, and I was happy to be able to help them.

This original painting is the special piece that people are entering the charity giveaway competition to win. It is sized at 90 X 90 cm on boxed canvas ready to hang. It features the magnificent coastline of Cromer being the Gem of the Norfolk Coast. Plus an uplifting philosophy painted down the side of the canvas.

• 100% of the funds go directly to Cromer hospital’s new chemo treatment centre.

  Help build a more optimistic future.

AN EXOTIC ESCAPE

Pina Colada or an English Brew - What will you be having this summer? Well Nina Chinsky, beach hut stylist shows us we can have it all!

With travel holidays to exotic worldwide locations paused for a while, and after the long year we’ve all had with delayed summer plans, we are really in need of that exotic escape more than ever. 

Look no further, beach hut stylist Nina Chinsky and artist Samuel Thomas have collaborated using the power of their imaginations and their desires for the ‘good life’ and have created an exotic escape right on their doorstep in charming Walton on the Naze, Essex.

This exotic beach hut blends Malibu beach chic style together with quintessential traditional English seaside charm!! All in the name of seeking out rest, rejuvenation and a sense of freedom by heading to the coast for a break.

Nina explains:

‘The power of the imagination really does count. When I am sunbathing in my English deckchair here at the beach hut, wearing my sombrero sipping a pina colada whilst I can smell the coconut of my Malibu sun cream under the glorious sun - I am transported somewhere else entirely. Only to wake up a little later to grab an English brew to warm up as me and my family watch the sunset.

It really is the best of both worlds, and I can feel even better knowing that I haven’t added to the climate crisis by boarding a plane to a far flung location. It’s good to know we’re celebrating the good things in life in an economically sustainable way as much as possible.’

Learning to celebrate things much closer to home is something we’re all learning to do for a while. So maybe the key to embracing this challenge is to do it in glorious style with the power of art! The key to a happy life is to appreciate all that we have, and we really are so blessed with all that we have.

The beach hut experience is also available for everyone else as the beach hut is available to hire. Unfortunately bottomless pina coladas are not included in the experience! YET!!!    

It takes a long time to stay young

We all work hard to attain our ideal lives.

In order to do so, we have to make sacrifices, we have to put off instant gratification. We work long hours to build the perfect lives for ourselves and our families. We get busy, we get caught up, we get muddled, we get stressed.

We can end up living a joyless life.

…..Until one day, we suddenly have a realisation. We catch a glimpse of young carefree children playing in the sand at the beach, they have nothing, they want nothing. They are happy with what they have. And we wonder to ourselves, at which point did I stop being young?

Kids keep us young, they remind us of how incredible the smallest of things are.

They remind us of how it feels to be young.

Sometimes, all we have to do is forget about our big dreams, our huge aspirations of the dream future, and remind ourselves of everything we already have - and take joy in the smallest of things.

I am always painting and capturing the world as seen through the eyes of a child, where everything excites and joy and wonder prevail. I believe this is the best way for us to experience the world around us.

By all means, have big dreams, but don’t get so busy caught up in attaining them that you miss out on all of the joy and wonder that already exists in your everyday .

That is the art of staying young.

Find Freedom By The Sea

We’re all in need of a little escapism right now. With many of our summer plans and exotic getaways postponed for a while, we need to be reminded of the joys and pleasures that are on our doorsteps much closer to home.

It’s time to celebrate Great Britain and celebrate the British seaside staycation in glorious style! We may not have guaranteed sunshine and exotic dishes, but here in England we have some beautiful traditions and quintessentially English quirks of our own to celebrate!! The humble beach hut is one of them.

Consequently a beach hut in Walton-on-the-Naze is being transformed with a splash of colour & joy as East-Anglian artist Samuel Thomas adds his ‘vision of freedom’ to it! The humble beach hut is a classic symbol for leaving all of our troubles behind and heading to the coast for some much needed rest and relaxation and to feel revitalised and alive, that’s the key message delivered in Samuel Thomas’ artwork whilst we look to the summer ahead:

 ‘My paintings have always been about exploring aspirational projections of the self into a better future, that’s what keeps us persevering through the challenging times in our lives. I believe that if we remain hopeful and optimistic about our futures, then eventually it will be materialised into our reality sooner or later.’

The artwork being applied to the beach hut is a local vibrant sunset encouraging everyone who passes by to feel uplifted and revitalised. ‘We have so much beauty in our seaside resorts, it’s time we appreciated them in full glory with the power of our imaginations’ explains Nina (the beach hut owner).

The artwork will go up in April ready for the summer season ahead, a summer where many of our freedoms will be returned to us all. Perhaps it will encourage other beach hut owners near and far to be a little creative themselves to spread the passion and joy we all have for our seaside resorts like the charming Walton-on-the-Naze.

BBC Article

Sharing My Vision - Giving You Joy

Having the opportunity to share my artwork through the BBC has been an astounding experience. It has meant that many more people far and wide from the USA, Europe and beyond have discovered my artwork and their reaction has inspired me further to share my next chapter of paintings.

Painting for me was always about HOPE, even at times in my life when I felt hopeless. We are all living in hope, it keeps us persevering, it allows us to get through the darker days in our lives. Having the light at the end of the tunnel to focus on is immensely important for our daily well-being. My artworks act as that vision of Hope, the physical place or the peak mental state that we’re all longing for - projections of the self into a better future.

Read the full article here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-53097748

An artist says the coronavirus lockdown has taught him to "slow down, to take the foot off the gas, and to enjoy the smaller things".

Samuel Thomas, from Norwich, has been sharing his paintings on social media while he is unable to hold exhibitions.

The 33-year-old said during the pandemic, he had found inspiration on walks or cycles in the countryside.

"There is so much joy and wonder surrounding us in our lives, sometimes we just need reminding of it," he says

The artist said he wanted to show the "joy and wonder" in everyday life Samuel Thomas said his work was about capturing the beauty of Norfolk

Mr Thomas, who is self-taught, said that lockdown had not changed his working life.

"I have always worked from my home studio spending lots of time alone," he said.

He said he believed art "still holds value and reverence" even during the coronavirus pandemic. Samuel Thomas said his art shows Norfolk as "vibrant and euphoric". Samuel Thomas is a full-time professional artist and is self-taught

The artist, who has been painting professionally for 12 years, said he wanted to "capture North Norfolk in a new and exciting light for a new generation of people".

He said the county had "radiance, charm and beauty" which he wants to illuminate.

"Daily lockdown has heightened my inspiration as it has taught me to really truly appreciate the small things," he said.

"Art helps people appreciate the fact that life will get better, that there is always hope.’

Projections of the Self into a better future.

What keeps us looking forward to tomorrow - What keeps us going?

It is our desire and aspiration for a better future to materialise itself into our reality. We all live our lives in pursuit of happiness - we seek pleasure, we avoid pain, this is the experience of living. Of course life is a balance and we should be careful not to take ‘today’ for granted whilst being pre-occupied with a better future.

This philosophy has inspired me to paint ever since I first picked up a paint brush. In whatever I choose to paint, the painting always ends up as a declaration of hope and optimism whether I intended it to be that way or not. This is because my paintings are an extension of my beliefs. The reason I spend my time ‘reminding us of the joys’ that we all have to look forward to is because sometimes in life we lose sight of it -we become bored, dispondent and we can spiral into depression. We forget about the good times and we forget how to enjoy ourselves entirely. I think we are all guilty of this in varying degrees due to the treadmill and the monotony of our everyday routines.

I do not have the solution to depression, but if I can help someone reconnect with what brings them joy in their lives, then I know I have helped in someway. Our happiness depends on how we ‘see’ our world, if we learn to see it from a different perspective - we experience more joy in our everyday,

What motivates you to pick up a paint brush everyday?

Seeing the EXTRA-ORDINARY in the Ordinary.

I paint in order to capture the moments of pure bliss along with the joys and the limitless freedom that surround us in this life.

Why?

Moments of pure happiness can be fleeting and often difficult to obtain in the complicated and busy lives we lead. But if we learn to stop and pause we realise those moments are all around us, even in our everyday, whether that be taking the time to appreciate a short stroll in the woodland or an afternoon spent at the seaside. It is these moments that re-energise and re-vitalise us and it is in these seemingly ordinary pleasures that we obtain extraordinary amounts of joy and energy. Some of my paintings of the world act as aspirational projections of the brighter days ahead that we have to look forward to making the artworks life-affirming visions of the world.

As human beings we are very rarely living in the present, as we are often looking back on our past memories in a nostalgic manner celebrating the glory of our past whilst simultaneously dreaming ahead; looking toward our futures. During the creative process of painting I am often deep in thought and so I naturally capture all of these states within my paintings to create timeless artworks alive with energy with optimistic outlooks whilst also capturing a nostalgic sense of the world.

Some of my portrayals of the world are deliberately naive, dreamlike and surreal with a stylised Pop-Art quality to them. This is because I am seeing the world through the eyes of a child where everything is unpolluted and unscathed and we possess limitless boundless energy and optimism. Because children give us so much hope as they are always in a state of excitement and wonder about the world around them. I want my audience to reconnect with this childhood vision seeing the world with fresh eyes where everything excites. It is in this state that we connect with the pure joys in this world.

‘The child see’s everything in a state of newness; he is always drunk’    (Baudelelaire, 1863)

My paintings aim to capture the ordinary moments in an extra-ordinary fashion in order to remind us of how much there is to celebrate and appreciate in our lives.