Artist Reception: “Walking in the Meadow”
It will be held on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 5-7 pm in the gallery space at Communications Hall. The show runs through Friday, March 7; the gallery is open from 9 am - 9 pm, seven days a week.
Thackray's work focuses on foraging plants from the East 40 acreage to produce fibers used in printmaking. Among other works, she has reimagined a summer meadow created to replicate the plants growing at the East 40 grounds, and hung them from the ceiling so viewers can walk 'upside down' through the meadow.
She is a multidisciplinary ecofeminist artist-educator based in Newark, NJ, crafting intricate artwork exploring the intersections between nature, industry, and human experience. She is the recipient of numerous fellowships and grants, including a NJ State Council Individual Artist Fellowship (2022). Residencies include a 2023 Summer Artist-in-Residency at the East 40 Center for Place-Based Learning at Northampton Community College; The Arctic Circle, Norway; and The Center for Book Arts and The Museum of Art and Design, New York City.
Her work has been widely exhibited and is held in numerous international public and private collections including The Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; Mediatheque Andre Malraux, France; Yale University; and The Library of Congress. She earned a BFA from Mason Gross at Rutgers University and an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), both in printmaking.
Thackray’s work is known for its meticulous detail and layered compositions that explore complex themes such as ecological change and industrialization. She draws inspiration from organic forms and industrial structures, creating art that evokes both beauty and a sense of unease. Beyond printmaking, she has expanded her practice to include installation art, book arts, sculpture, and most recently, permanent public artworks.
