Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Thomas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Angela, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been fortunate to have had my entire career in the art world. I stared out right after a college doing free lance illustration and then landed a job at a design house for heat transfer printing designs and worked in house with six other creative artists. We all learned so much from each other and that knowledge is still with me today. I worked full time free lance for the next ten years while I raised my two young children.

In my early thirties I went back to school earning a Master of Studio Art from Marywood University, Scranton Pa. It was a very unquie program called “Get Your Masters with the Masters”. We worked with many of the top illustrators of the time in NYC. This program put my career on an entire new projectory and changed my life.
From this program I started Children’s Book Illustration and did my thesis and final show featuring paintings that depicted Lionel Train memories. I became licensed by the Lionel Train company to create these paintings and I am still working with them to this day! I have been licensed with Lionel Trains for the last 33 years. My paintings and prints have been collected worldwide.
About 20 years ago I moved over to the fine art world. I am represented by Reinert Fine Art, Charleston SC. Through this gallery my paintings have evolved to paintings featuring Charleston History and captivating city. In addition to the Charleston art I am now becoming well know for both my Charleston, New York and International Bar scenes. These paintings have been extremely well received and are also collected internationally. Reinert Gallery will be hosting a show for myself and another artist, Stephanie Marzella, in Oct 2025 at their beautiful Charleston Gallery.

Angela, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I pride my self with being very versatile and ever evolving.
In art if you become stagnant it can become detrimental.

I can draw and paint most anything. I am not afraid to try new things. Due to this my art fits in many different sectors and genres. I think that this plays a big part on my being able to have a full time art career.

I am not sure I solve anything for my collectors but I do believe my art speaks to them in an emotional way. While developing my craft and constantly striving to become a better artist I have always worked to also create art that would have an emotional impact. I have also tried to create products that would be available in different price points.
I sell both original paintings, limited edition signed and numbered prints and Private Commission paintings. Information on all of these can be found on my website @AngelaTrottathomas or Instagram @AngelaTrottaThomasArtist

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think the most rewarding aspect of my work is how it impacts the viewer. I have actually seen people cry at looking at my art and telling me about the memory that it brought them back to. Many grown men have told me of their cherished memories of their childhood Christmas and the trains that they always set up under the Christmas Tree. Their favorite engines that their father had given them, It truly moves me to see that something I created means o much to them.

Recently a woman told me that she had been looking for a special painting for at least two years and when she saw a recent bar painting I created she had a visceral reaction to it. That has stuck with me and I was amazed that she felt that and wanted to shared it with me. She bought the large painting!
It’s nice to know she will enjoy it!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think my pivot was over the course of time. I had a very successful career in freelance art working for clients like Campbells soup, Burpee seed, Paper Magic and the like but I knew this work was not moving me emotionally and I knew I needed a change.

I wanted to find a way to create more impactful and enduing art.
That is when I returned to school for The “Get your masters from the Masters” program. This program opened up my eyes to many more opportunities on how to achieve this.
I took risk at trying something new and completely different when I reached out directly to the owner, Richard Kughn, of Lionel trains. I sent my bio, some samples of my Lionel train “memory” art and a request letter to pursue this art to him back before digital images and to my surprise that art moved him and I was licensed with the company within a few weeks. About a week after I sent the images I called just find out if they received them. I spoke to the owner’s assistant and explained who I was and I was shocked to hear that not only had he received them but they had been in his briefcase the entire week and I would be hearing from them soon. So my take away from this little story is take the risk if you have an idea, product etc and persevere on your quest to move forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://AngelaTrottaThomas.com
• Instagram: AngelaTrottaThomasArtist
• Facebook: Angela Trotta Thomas