View work
Tom Thon’s work can be viewed at the Winterville Cultural Center Gallery’s first juried art exhibit thru Oct. 30 and the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation’s Southworks national exhibit through Nov. 12. Also, his works are being judged at the Athens Institute of Contemporary Art for its Compulsion exhibit from Oct. 19 thru Nov. 24.
Tom Thon
A 10-year-old Tom Thon could hardly sleep the night before Christmas. Having unwrapped a roll of film just hours earlier, he was left to speculate what gifts were on the other side of his slumber.
Since opening a brand new camera that long-ago morning, Thon has lived through the lens, practicing photography from Italy to Vietnam — and now in Oglethorpe County.
“I got the camera, and I’ve been taking pictures ever since,” he said.
His move to Lexington has given new meaning to Thon’s photos.
Following a career in acting that spanned over 40 years in Atlanta and Long Island, commissioned work that began with taking talent headshots, has culminated with photography on display in two nearby galleries.
“The slower pace of Oglethorpe County and Lexington, in particular, suits me well and gave me inspiration to return to another artistic pursuit that took a back seat to performance for many years,” he said.
Both the Winterville Cultural Center Gallery and Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation judged and accepted Thon’s photography for display. On weekends, his images are on display for sale at the Rowdy Rooster Cafe.
After moving with his family to Oglethorpe County two years ago, Thon took an interest in the architectural history of the area. Most of his work today consists of photographing the county’s architecture, specifically in downtown Lexington.
“The historical aspect of this place is palpable — it’s just palpable,” he said. “I look at this place and I see a gold mine that hasn’t been worked for a while.”
Thon said local restoration is a driving force in taking photographs. He’s a member of the Lexington Downtown Development Authority.
His work, including a 10-foot panoramic image of Lexington’s architecture, has already made a lasting impression in the county. But it wasn’t until a nudge from his son Colin when Thon began dedicating more time to photography.
The viability of Lexington and adjacent cities is a priority in protecting the future of Oglethorpe County, he said. Ensuring the success of the county — especially for his son’s family — is what keeps him motivated.
“(Colin) is the reason that I’m here,” Thon said. “I’m ready to do whatever he needs that I'm capable of doing, and part of that is the job I’ve taken on to try and help advance the restoration of this town.”
And although highlighting the “disrepair” of local architecture is often Thon’s agenda, he preaches a fluid approach in deciding what to capture.
“It doesn’t matter where I am,” he said. “When I’m looking at something, if it interests me (I’ll photograph it), no matter what it is — it may be its color, it may be its shape, it may be its detail, it may be its content.”