Markus Thonett
I used to think my search was for answers, but I have found since that answers just stop the search. As soon as an answer is found the search is off!
Questions, on the other hand, are like opening doors and windows. Going through these doors and windows makes my journey continue, often in new and challenging ways. AI can give you great answers, but to come up with good questions takes a creative human.
Making art is a constant balancing act between exploring the unknown and safely moving within ones comfort zone.
I found that the right balance inspires conversations that might otherwise not taken place.
As a young artist I was often asked what my area of specialization was to which I would answer, 'I specialize in not specializing'
This open approach has led me to develop some genuinely unorthodox processes and opened doors to discovering interesting and unique ways of working. For example, Greenish Paintings, Card-cuts, Melamine Engraving, etc
Explore My Work
Greenish Paintings
Greenish Paintings are so called as they use recycled materials as much as possible, and so their environmental impact is very small. I carve, burn (sometimes), paint and sand until I am happy with the balance of ‘pain’ and ‘joy’ in the work.
Card Cuts & Engravings
My card cuts are shaped by memory, place and moments that stay with me. Working in two tones brings clarity, turning complexity into simplicity. Many celebrate my connection to St Leonards and Hastings, a community alive with art, music and belonging.
My Interview with Lesley Samms from Pure Art in 2022
I was born in Germany to artist parents (Will Thonett and Marianne Tralau), and studied in Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design (now IADT), Dublin, Ireland.
I taught sculpture and drawing at university level for seventeen years at
D. I .T, as well as teaching art to children, troubled youth and post grad students over the years. I held many exhibitions in both Germany and Ireland during those years.
Since meeting Tessa we have travelled the world, always making art wherever we landed – we lived in Upstate New York and Cameroon, Africa, before moving to the UK (Tessa’s homeland) in 2004. We moved to Hastings in mid 2022.
Exhibitions and Commissions
Mar, Apr, 2025 – Curating and participating in group show ‘What a Wonderful World’ at Barnaby’s Lounge, Hastings
Jan, Feb 2025 – Joint exhibition w/ Tessa at The Maltings, Farnham, Surrey
Dec, Jan, 2024/5 – Joint show of collaborative work w/ Tessa at the Crown, Hastings
Dec, Jan, 2024/5 – Solo show of ‘card-cuts’ at the Calima Bar, St Andrews Mews
Nov, Dec, 2024 – Participated in ‘Kind of Blue’, exhibition at Barnaby’s Lounge
Oct 2024 – Curating and participating in group show at Blast Gallery, St Andrews Mews, Hastings
Sept 2024 – Joint Exhibition w/ Tessa at Blast Gallery
June, July, Aug, 2024 – Group Exhibition “Summer Show” at Barnaby’s Lounge, Hastings.
Arty-Party’ one day exhibition 13th July
May, June 2024 – Joint Exhibition w/ Tessa – ‘Pulse’ – downstairs at Barnaby’s Lounge, Hastings, for 2 Months.
February, March 2024 – One Man Show – ‘4 Rooms Plus’, at the Upstairs Gallery in St Andrews Mews, Hastings. For 2 Months.
September 2023 – 5th and final exhibition at BLAST for Coastal Currents Open Studio for one month, with Tessa, Alice Maylam, Elina Rudzite and Emma Harding.
August 2023 – Participation in Exhibition at Boomers Gallery, Tower Bridge, London
August 2023 – 4th exhibition at BLAST – ‘Abstraction’ – 2 weeks
August 2023 – 3rd Exhibition at BLAST gallery – ‘Minutia’ – 2 weeks
July 2023 – 2nd exhibition at BLAST – ‘About Face’ for 2 weeks
July 2023 – Took on a gallery in St Andrews Mews for 3 months. We called it BLAST – 1st exhibition ‘Being Me’ for 2 weeks
July 2023 – Participation at Zoom Arts members’ Show – Stade Gallery, Hastings
July 2023 – Had work in The Dragon Bar, Hastings, for 3 weeks
June 2023 – Held ‘Arty Party’, showing all my work and Tessa’s too at our home and studio.
May 2023 – Joint exhibition for 3 weeks, w/ Tessa Thonett and Alice Maylam – Zoom Gallery, St Leonards
May 2023 – Joint exhibition for 1 week, with Tessa Thonett and Alice Maylam – Electro Studios, St Leonards
April 2023 – For one month, Joint exhibition with Tessa Thonett and Alice Maylam – 1200 Postcards, Hastings
April 2023 – Participated in Members exhibition – Hastings Arts Forum – 2 weeks
Feb 2023 -Participation in the ‘Arte Povera’ show – Hastings Art Forum, St Leonards – 2 weeks
1st two weeks of October 2022 – A Joint show with Tessa Thonett at Hastings Arts Forum Gallery
Sept 2022 – Contribution to ‘The Journey’ Exhibition at Bannatyne Hotel, Hastings
August 2022 – Contribution to Members’ show at the Hastings Arts Forum Gallery
July/Aug, 2022 – Joint show with Tessa Thonett – Bannatyne Hotel, Hastings
July 1,2,3rd – Participation in Parallax Art Fair, Kensington, London
Jan/Apr, 2022 – Participation in “Serenity”, a show by PureArt – Bannatyne Hotel, Hastings
2021/2022, – (Sept – Jan) Participation in exhibition “Re-imagined”, Hastings
2021 – Participation of online exhibition “Emergence” by ArtNetDLR
2021 – Participation in “PureArt360” live and digital exhibitions, Hastings
2021 – Included in the “PureArt360” magazine autumn 2021
2021 – YouTube interview Pure ART360 Ed 3: Interview with Markus Thonett and Lesley Samms – YouTube
2018 – “Facets” an Art Alley Exhibition – One person show – Unit 12, Winchester
2017 – Joint Exhibition with two other artists at an Art and Music Event – Shoreditch, London
2016 – Private exhibition – Kensington Church St, London
2015 – ‘Poppy Glow’ Private Commission Site Specific Installation
2014 – Joint exhibition – Allen Gallery – Alton
2004 – “Global Arts Project Exhibition” – Bifunde – Limbe, Cameroon, Africa
2001 – End of Year Exhibition, UTS – Upstate New York, USA
1999 – “Lost and Found” – One person show – Cobalt Café Gallery – Dublin
1997 – “Spectrum” – DIT Exhibition at Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA), Dublin
1995 – One Person show – KAOS Gallery – Cologne
1994 – Eucrea State Reception – National Museum of Modern Art – Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
1994 – Exhibition of National Portrait Competition – Dublin
1994 – National Maritime Museum – Dun Laoghaire
1994 – Contribution to “The Great Book of Ireland”
1988 to 1991 – “Glass Pier Exhibition”– Dun Laoghaire Arts Week
1990 – KAOS Gallery – Cologne
1988 – Project Arts Centre – Dublin
1983 – One Person Show – Café Muckefuck (germ; translation Decaf. Coffee Café) – Cologne
1981 – Exposure” – Bank of Ireland – Dublin
1978 and 1979 – One Person shows – Café Muckefuck – Cologne
Collections
David G, Wales
Alan and Ruth P, Hampshire
Laurie D, St Leonards
John S, St Leonards
Biographical notes
1959 – Born in Germany to Artist couple, Will Thonett and Marianne Tralau.
1984 – Concluded Art studies at Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design (now IADT), Ireland.
1984 to 2000 – Teaching 3rd level sculpture and drawing at Dublin Institute of Technology.
Freelance artist also working in film, video and theatre.
2001- Taught post graduate course in applied art at U.T.S, Barrytown, USA.
2000 to 2004 – Various projects and life experiences, including marrying Tessa and living and working in Cameroon, SW Africa.
2004 – Returned to Europe, living and working in the UK.
2008-10 – Taught an introduction to sculpture at Wimbledon College of Art
2010 – Private Art Classes
2010 – Present – Freelance Artist
2025 – May – Had a serious surgery, forcing me to not be able to work or show my work for a while.