Join Kimberly Thomas (Zii) for an artist talk and live flameworking demonstration at Foci MCGA on Friday October 9th, 2026 from 6:00pm-08:30pm! The artist talk, held next door in Threads Dance Project, will offer insight into her process and the world behind her kinetic sculptural work. Then, in the Foci MCGA Flame Shop, attendees can watch her work on the torch first-hand and up close as she demonstrates how her glass forms come together in real time, with the chance to observe the details of the process as she builds and finishes her piece.
Kimberly Thomas will be teaching a one-day Youth Workshop and five-day Visiting Artist Workshop October 6-11th, 2026 at Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts in collaboration with the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center.
Artist Biography:
Kimberly Thomas is a biracial interdisciplinary sculptor and flameworker. She is a current artist in residence at Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville, NC. and is known for her work’s intentionally flawed and unusual motifs as well as her intricate sculptural inventions. A self-taught glass artist, Thomas earned a BFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design and spent six years as a special effects make-up artist before she began flameworking in 2009.
Thomas’s work is often autobiographical and conveys her unique perception of the world. Drawing her influence from concepts, questions, and theories about human nature, she combines realism and fantasy. She imparts her truth into dark, yet entertaining, narratives. Recurring themes in her work include the undesirable facets of life and human nature, freedom from the corruption imposed by society, and expansion of self-knowledge. Thomas challenges viewers to face what makes them uncomfortable in order to invite opportunities for fresh perspectives and personal development.
Cloud Riding Contraption No. 1 by Kimberly Thomas, 2021
No Fishing by Kimberly Thomas, 2022
Cloud Riding Contraption No. 3 by Kimberly Thomas, 2022
The Deeper You Go The Darker It Gets by Kimberly Thomas, 2023