Bio

Rachel Elise Thomas (b. 1988) was born and is based in Detroit, Michigan. Thomas identifies as an interdisciplinary artist, designer, writer, archivist, and educator. Working within photography-based approaches, Thomas employs collage, printmaking, sculpture, and site-specific installation to explore the intricate nuances of her personal identity. She often explores nostalgia tied to her upbringing, dissecting her childhood, adolescence, and familial relationships. Early in her adolescence and career, Thomas was heavily influenced by the various photo albums in her family’s home––discovering a spiritual connection to deceased relatives, their origins in the South, migration to Detroit, and passed-down heirlooms connected to her lineage. Through her work, she revisits the past, but also uses this as an opportunity to embrace it. Thomas invites her viewers to gain perspective surrounding colorism, desirability, misogynoir, and its biases; she critiques conventional beauty standards, what they mean and what they look like. Thomas frequently utilizes her personal and familial archives––photographs and artifacts, along with their extensive collection of printed publications––forming the heart and foundation of her work.

Thomas first earned an Associate of Applied Science in Photographic Technology from Oakland Community College with Cum Laude Honors. She then received her BFA in Photography from the College for Creative Studies with Honors, along with the Imre J. Molnar Artistic Achievement Award. Deciding to further her education, Thomas was awarded a full-tuition scholarship, earning her MFA in Photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art ('24).

In 2024, Thomas was a recipient of the Creator Labs Photo Fund—a lens-based grant provided by Google & Aperture.

During the summer of 2026, Thomas secured her first international residency and attended the DETZIM Artist Residency in Zimbabwe, where she also exhibited work at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.