{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"IDNet","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.idnet.com\/blog","title":"IDNet Customer Profile: Chris Thomas, Artist - IDNet","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"LMTJMxHJiY\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.idnet.com\/blog\/2019\/12\/04\/idnet-customer-profile-chris-thomas-artist\/\">IDNet Customer Profile: Chris Thomas, Artist<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.idnet.com\/blog\/2019\/12\/04\/idnet-customer-profile-chris-thomas-artist\/embed\/#?secret=LMTJMxHJiY\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;IDNet Customer Profile: Chris Thomas, Artist&#8221; &#8212; IDNet\" data-secret=\"LMTJMxHJiY\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.idnet.com\/blog\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.idnet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Eric.jpg","thumbnail_width":1277,"thumbnail_height":859,"description":"IDNet customer Chris Thomas is a self-taught UK based artist who, after leaving school at 14 overcame a lack of opportunity through dedication and hard work. Tell us a little about your background and how you got into painting.&nbsp; I\u2019m originally from Eastbourne and moved to East London at the age of 23. I ended up living with Malcolm Livingstone, the famous cartoonist for \u2018Cozmic Comics\u2019 and \u2018Time Out\u2019 magazine. Malcolm was the person who encouraged me to develop as an artist first with clay sculptures and later with paint. &nbsp;Things didn&#8217;t go well at first and I recall saying &#8220;Sorry Malcolm, I can&#8217;t paint. I can only draw&#8221; Malcolm looked at me and said &#8220;Alright Chris, don&#8217;t paint then &#8211; draw with a paint brush&#8221;. After this I never looked back. Where has your art taken you? I\u2019ve travelled the world learning new techniques and skills from cultures across Asia, Europe and the Americas. People say they can see these eclectic influences reflected in my style. Whilst living in Malibu, California I created story boards, film sets and scenery for Hollywood art director Alan Roderick-Jones. I sold commissions and canvases to various people including Steve McQueen&#8217;s wife Ali MacGraw. [&hellip;]"}