Our D.C. Artist of the Week is the multi-talented visual artist Royal Thomas. A graphic designer, videographer and photographer — Royal builds worlds from imagnition using various creative media to boldly explore unique expressions of Black culture, life and art.
Royal’s wide-ranging style and expertise is always inspired by whatever is a work’s current subject or idea, making each creation unique.
Recently, they released a photography series entitled “Black Trans Prom,” capturing a celebratory night in the Black trans and non-binary community. The series’ subjects can be seen dressed in colorful outfits and makeup that reflected their individual styles.
As a graphic designer, Royal employs lots of fantasy and futuristic elements. They combine photographs of everyday scenes with colorful illustrations to create the appearance of otherworldly beings on earth. Royal Thomas has been commissioned by SiKK, Converse, and many Black artists from around the world for their visual pieces.
You can learn more about Royal Thomas on Instagram.