ARTIST'S WORK USED TO PROMOTE READING

The multi-colored flecks of dried paint on Craig Thomas' hands hint at the occupation of a man who is close to being the region's only full-time free-lance artist.

Thomas works one day a week at a photography studio. Otherwise, he engaged in the business of making art.

He is busy at the moment painting a mural on the north wall in the Southeast Missouri State University Recreation Center. He just finished a mural at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse depicting the county's last hanging.

One the biggest steps in his career in terms of recognition was his recent selection to create the artwork used to promote the Summer Reading Programs being offered in libraries throughout the state.

Thomas' posters, clip art and bookmarks are based on the theme "Reading Time '99." The posters are being displayed at libraries throughout the region, including Riverside Regional Library in Jackson and the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

The posters depict a time machine and scenes of the places a book can take a reader -- Egypt, outer space, the caves where the first known paintings were created and King Arthur's England among many others.

Thomas was chosen from 10 artists who were candidates for the job. He found out about the opportunity from the staff at Riverside Regional Library, where he often comes to research his murals.

"People here have been helping me for many years," said Thomas, whose lives in Cape Girardeau but whose job is in Jackson. He also uses the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Thomas does all kinds of painting but is best known for his murals and his sidewalk chalk drawings. This month, he is teaching classes for the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri in both murals and chalk drawing.

His wife, Elizabeth, also will teach a class for the Arts Council in multicultural art.

Thomas was the guest artist recently at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, where he recreated in chalk Michelangelo's "Libyan Sybil." He liked the idea of putting on a sidewalk an image famous for being on a ceiling.

The art for the libraries also may be used by libraries in surrounding states. "It's nice to be recognized at the state level and more of a Midwest level," Thomas said.

Coming up, he'll be making chalk drawings at the Sikeston Cotton Festival of the Arts and in September a chalk mural at the St. Louis Art Fair.

"I just try to keep irons in the fire," he says.

His next mural will be painted on the side of the Arts Council building at 119 Independence. It will be a cooperative effort with the class he is teaching.