For immediate release . . .

We are embarking on a far-reaching promotional push for the book, Flight of the Mind. This includes touring the book at our Spring shows in Florida and getting the good word out across the land. Check out our press release here!

Quadriplegic Artist Releases Astonishing 25-Year Retrospective in Story and Images

Flight of the Mind: A Painter’s Journey Through Paralysis details the true story of Marcus Thomas, an athlete who, upon breaking his neck and suffering paralysis from the shoulders down, went on to become an acclaimed and award winning artist.

At the age of 26, Marcus C. Thomas suffered a skiing accident that broke his neck and left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.  Six months into his rehabilitation, he took up a simple watercolor set and a paintbrush rigged to fit comfortably in his mouth. An activity that started as something to do for fun became his passion. Since the moment he discovered painting, Marcus Thomas has lived the artist’s life, transcending the limitations of his body, pushing beyond physical boundaries, and perfecting difficult techniques to capture profound and subtle images in color and light, from a hummingbird’s wing beat to the ocean’s heartbeat.

The 2012 release of the book, Flight of the Mind: A Painter’s Journey Through Paralysis honors the 25th anniversary of  Marcus’ "rebirth" as an artist. Composed of a biographical narrative of Marcus’ life from childhood to present day and over 200 full-color reproductions of his paintings from the first bird calendars to his current work, the book chronicles Marcus’ remarkable life journey, from recreation major to a chair-bound painter, who soars to new heights through his imagination.

Marcus Thomas’ life and art are a testament to the resilient strength of the human spirit and the spirit of the natural world.  His artwork has won awards and critical acclaim up and down the east coast and beyond, including three-time winner of Best in Show (2D) at the Naples Invitational Art Festival 2011-2013. His paintings have been featured in publications and news outlets in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. After winning the 2012 Christmas wine-label contest at The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, the estate will again feature his work on their special release 2013 Festival of Flowers wine label. The release of Flight of the Mind, his 25-year retrospective, has occasioned heightened world-wide interest in his work.
 
Flight of the Mind conveys a message for not only fellow artists and lovers of art, but for all who suffer a disability, for all caregivers, and for anyone struggling to make sense of a world that is both heartbreaking and lovely. About the book, contemporary artist Julie Speed writes, It’s just flat out amazing work and you certainly don’t need to know his story to admire his work. But read this book anyway. You’ll be amazed all over again.

Santa's Elves: A gallery

Amanda and Jim in for the long haul

The scene at Marcus and Anne's house was transformed this week as they packed and shipped tons of copies of Flight of the Mind: A Painter's Journey Through Paralysis. Books will be arriving on doorsteps in time for Christmas! Special thanks to the brave and hearty elves that made light work with their many hands. And to the Fed-Ex guy, who deserves much applause!

At Art Accents in Weaverville, Bob and Carla hosted a wonderful meet and greet with Marcus yesterday evening as folks came by to pick up their books in person. Smiles all around! Books are available there if you still need to pick up your order. Or you can purchase a book there as well from now through the holidays. Stay tuned for a gallery of this happy event.

dining room no more

Anne, leader of the pack-ing

Carla at her station

got books

Marcus autographed every book

got boxes

First book ready to ship!

Judy handling orders

note the raven trying to escape the wall of books

Wait No More: The Books Are Here!

We are pleased to announce that at long last, the books have arrived! Flight of the Mind feels as beautiful as it looks. Currently we are packing orders to ship, and those going up and down the east coast are expected to arrive in plenty of time for Christmas. Sit back and have a cocktail, Santa, our elves are cheerful, happy and on the job!

We invite all our local friends and readers to celebrate with us! Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 18th, we will be at Art Accents on Main Street, Weaverville from 4:30-7:00pm. Folks will be picking up their orders. You can also purchase a book at Art Accents beginning tomorrow night through the holidays.

And of course, if Weaverville, NC is too far away for easy travel, we are still taking orders online for all three editions, while supplies last.

If you live nearby or are passing through, come meet the artist and the author tomorrow evening. We'd love to see you and show off our labor of love!

Grace in the Waiting

Marcus and Anne with advance copy of Flight of the Mind.

The promise that "good things come to those who wait," is perhaps as old as Christmas. To a child awaiting the arrival of a parade or party, the reassurance often rings like a hollow admonishment to be patient and quell her rising excitement. For those of us hurtling head-long towards the end of the year, the promise, though cliche, can serve as a reminder of how harmful it can be to rush only to arrive at the inevitable unprepared, with spent souls.


In the Christian calendar we are currently in the midst of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Our culture doesn't give Advent much shrift, but it serves as an observance of a necessary waiting period, time to prepare for the gift of the incarnation, getting ready for the possibility of God becoming Human. Advent coincides with the longest nights of the year, leading up to Solstice, the longest actual night and the pivot point of the year, getting the world ready for the possibility of a fresh start in seasons to come.

It takes grace to wait with patience. Ask any expectant mother, any artist, any child, any commuter waiting on the morning traffic, any lover awaiting the return of the beloved. Whether we wait in fear, anxiety, or peace, it is often the hardest (and perhaps the most necessary) part of any journey.


Just ask Marcus and Anne, for that matter! We are currently in a forced period of waiting on the book, Flight of the Mind. A testament that has been 26 years in the living and a year and half in the making is now, at the eleventh hour, held up in a port in California, hostage to a union strike. Honestly, we would have preferred pirates. Repeating the mantra, "good things come, good things come" still doesn't keep us from nail-biting, bargaining with powers beyond our control, and wishing the books could literally grow the wings of Marcus' imagination. If you have ordered a book, you will be receiving communication soon about the outlook on arrival.

Along with grace, it never hurts to have a little fortification against long nights and seemingly endless periods of anticipation. The tradition of luminaries, lighting the way for the advent of the awaited event, does the work of shoring us up for the long haul. A illuminated path marked out in the formless void and darkness of the wait provides a thread to follow, directing the soul to the ultimate point. This evening from 6-9pm, Weaverville hosts its Annual Candlelight Stroll through downtown, complete with a luminary leading visitors to celebrate with music, horse and buggy rides, shopping and Santa. Marcus and Anne will be at Art Accents on Main Street with an advance copy of the book, the first official preview of Fight of the Mind. By all accounts, the book is beautiful and well worth the wait. Come see for yourself and join us in our grace-full wait. In this journey of a lifetime, a little patience could be a good thing in itself.      

Care-full and Thank-Full

Every year around Thanksgiving, I always want to get in touch with all my friends and family, just about everyone I know, and share a meal, throw a party, write each person a tribute and tell them exactly why I love having him or her in my life. I never quite accomplish this ambition, but it usually carries me through Christmas and New Years.

This year the impulse is especially compelling, for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the growing sense of how fragile life is. We must be care-full in the basic sense of the word. More and more, I am strengthened in my conviction that all that really matters is caring for one another and the place we inhabit.

Each individual on earth is capable of caring in a particular way, specific to talent, temperament, vocation. Some of us are especially lucky in that our gifts complement someone else's gifts and we happen to discover each other in the course of our journey. This has been the case with Marcus and Anne, and Marcus, Anne and me.

I got nostalgic and looked back at last year's Thanksgiving post about time and what we make with it, and found it as true this year, with the added gratitude of another blessed year of writing and doing this work. The physical manifestation of our care will be in our hands soon, and you can get a sneak peek if you are around Greensboro this weekend, where Anne and Marcus will have an advance copy of Flight of the Mind and the Craftsman Classic at the Greensboro Coliseum.

It was also a year or so ago that Bob Peck of Asheville Multimedia filmed me interviewing Marcus for the DVD companion to Flight of the Mind. So, dear reader (for whom we are also so thankful) I'll leave you with this Thanksgiving gift from the completed work as we all continue care-full-y along our wandering, wild and miraculous journeys. May our paths cross in good time!

The Good Life for All

Anyone who has been to an art show to see Marcus' work knows the familiar face and irreverent laughter of his sister Amanda. In every kind of weather and over thousands of cumulative miles, she is a friendly and forceful presence in Marcus' and Anne's life and career, giving freely of her time, muscle, heart, and humor.

Amanda is also a force to be reckoned with in her work with Homeward Bound, the Asheville organization that works tirelessly for social justice, operating shelters and programs that feed, clothe and locate housing for the city's homeless. Following a calling she's known since college, Amanda devotes her spirited energy and gifts to serving people who exist in the cold, uncomfortable margins of what most of us consider normal everyday life.

Though it seems incongruous to pair Biltmore Estate with Homeward Bound, leave it to Marcus and Anne to combine the two in a brilliant "thank-you" (with a kick!) to Amanda.

Twelve bottles of Marcus' Christmas wine were signed by Biltmore Estate wine makers Bernard Deleille and Sharon Fenchak. Marcus signed these bottles as well and is making them available for a $60 donation to Homeward Bound. Wine warms the heart quite well, but to sweeten the deal, your donation also includes a 25% discount on an original Marcus Thomas print and  15% off framing the print at Art Accents on Main Street in Weaverville, NC.

Marcus and Amanda

Fine wine and beautiful art work together in so many ways as luxuries of "the good life." With this opportunity, you can join Amanda in working to make basic creature comforts a reality for those who don't have it quite so good. Like the days of Christmas, these twelve bottles of Biltmore's Christmas wine, featuring Marcus' piece Biltmore Winter will go quickly. They are available at Art Accents in Weaverville, where we hope to see you on December 7th for the preview book party. More on that event to come!   

Hunt for Beauty on the Art Safari

One thing that distinguishes humans from all other life (except perhaps hummingbirds) is the desire and longing for beauty. So great is the longing that alone among all other creatures, human beings, with much practice, are able to create beauty . . . in works of art.

You can satisfy your quest for beauty and glimpse the inner workings of its creation in many forms - from paint to metal to paper, pottery and wood - this weekend in Weaverville, NC at the Fall Art Safari. The event offers a unique opportunity to meet artists in the natural habitat of their own studios and experience their work.

Marcus and Anne Thomas open their studio for the Safari and welcome visitors from 10am-6pm. Stop by to see Marcus, and get a peek at work in progress and more. Flight of the Mind information and ordering details will also be available. Nothing compares to an up-close-and-personal encounter with a true artist except for perhaps an encounter with undeniable and lasting beauty. This weekend's safari offers both. (Please, no firearms required!)