Who is Thomas Flynn II?
Thomas Flynn II (b. 1994) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based painter, a 2016 SCAD graduate, current M.F.A. candidate at GSU and the creator of multilayered sculptural paintings exploring the body, mind, and Southern landscape.
EDUCATION
Current M.F.A. Candidate at Georgia State University (GSU), 2029
B.F.A. Painting, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), 2016
short STATEMENT
Thomas’ work explores the entanglement of body, mind, and forest through multilayered sculptural paintings rooted in personal narratives derived from the American South. Working with shifting forms and symbols to reflect transformation, concealment, and the ongoing process of self-discovery within an ever-changing embodied landscape.
longer STATEMENT
Flynn’s current body of work explores the forest as a metaphor for the perception of self. Integration of body, landscape, and mind through multilayered sculptural paintings rooted in personal narratives and lived experiences as a transplant in the American South. These pieces echo a process of self-discovery and reflection, drawing on a visual lexicon of symbols to represent shifting emotional states and internal journeys. The forest and the body emerge as central motifs—sites of transformation, concealment, and revelation.
In Appalachian folk wisdom, the forest holds a dual significance: it is revered as a powerful, sentient force, and simultaneously seen as a place of caution—an ecosystem in which we exist as inhabitants, visitors, or prey. This duality informs the forest imagery in my work, where twisting forms camouflage hidden elements—fragments of bodies and organic shapes that emerge or recede depending on the viewer’s perspective. As a non-native to this region, the inherent understanding of how the landscape functions in the collective historical psyche is fascinating and acts as a guide to navigate internal and often hidden structures.
My color palette is inspired by my chronic aura migraines which create a layered perception onto the landscape, blurring the lines between native and invasive color. Each painting begins as acrylic on flat canvas, layered with washes and gestural brushstrokes. From this foundation, the work can take multiple forms: it may remain as a raw-edged flat piece, be stretched onto a support, or be cut and reassembled onto hand-constructed wooden shapes. These wooden forms are cut by hand, using either manufactured or locally sourced wood. I use a variety of painting techniques to depict different levels of excursions into the forested landscape of my consciousness to understand and alchemize the stagnant places and fragments of my past. This compartmentalization and collaging of memories are important to the work, as they serve as tools to discern the future.
At the heart of my practice is a desire to gaze longingly inward, seeing a dense forest blotting out the sun instead of a series of rooms in the psyche. The forest, like the self, is in constant flux: dying, regenerating, and persisting. My work creates a parallel world drenched in color and layered with bodily and cosmic silhouettes. These paintings collage experiences, memories, and dreams into landscapes that appear to be on the threshold of oblivion – on the cusp of understanding the true nature of what lies beneath.
longer BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Flynn II (he/him) (b. 1994) is a painter based in Atlanta, Georgia, originally from small-town Texas. His work explores the entanglement of body, mind, and forest through multilayered sculptural paintings rooted in personal narratives derived from the American South. Working with shifting forms and symbols to reflect transformation, concealment, and the ongoing process of self-discovery within an ever-changing embodied landscape.
Flynn earned his B.F.A. in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2016, and is currently an MFA candidate at Georgia State University. His work has been acquired by notable collections including Canva’s U.S. Headquarters, the SCAD Permanent Collection, and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Atlanta. He has also been featured in publications such as Friend of the Artist (Vol. 18), New Visionary Magazine, Uppercase Magazine, and Red Branch Review among others
Flynn has exhibited widely in both solo and group shows across the United States, with recent highlights including Night Swim at Spruill Gallery, ABV Gallery in East Atlanta, and ArtFields in Lake City, South Carolina. His exhibition record spans leading artist-run spaces, university galleries, and contemporary art institutions throughout Georgia, Texas, and the Southeast region of the United States.
In addition to painting, Flynn has published multiple books and interviews, including In Plein Air with Snap Collective and The Lotus Eater, a self-published poetry and artwork collection. He lives and works in Atlanta, GA with his wife and daughter.
highlighted EXHIBITIONS
Spruill Gallery, Atlanta, GA; NIGHT SWIM, 2026
Selected for the SCAD Alumni Atelier residency program, 2024
Flynn’s work has been recently seen at:
ABV Gallery (Atlanta, GA)
Swan Coach House Gallery (Atlanta, GA)
Westabou Gallery (Augusta, GA)
Artfields (Lake City, SC)
Flynn’s work is included notably in these collections:
The Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, City of Atlanta, GA
Canva's U.S. Headquarters, Austin, TX
The SCAD Permanent Collection, Savannah, GA
selected PUBLICATIONS AND BOOKS
In Plein Air, published with Snap Collective Publishing House
The Lotus Eater, self-published poetry and artwork collection
Collect
Original paintings, prints, and available works can be viewed and purchased on the Collect page →.
Studio & Inquiries
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