About the Artist

(Born 1956) Born in Buffalo, New York, Thomas' cultural heritage is Iroquois and Onondaga. Although he attended the University of Buffalo from 1974-1976, he is largely a self-taught photographer.

Thomas' work is based on contemporary Native American culture encouraging native peoples to take charge of their own image and other aspects of life and art. Thomas has had solo exhibitions at the Museum of Man and Nature, Winnipeg, Manitoba; En Foco Gallery in the Bronx, New York; Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario and CEPA Gallery in Buffalo, New York.

His work has been included in numerous group exhibitions since 1981. The following permanent collections include his photographs: Ottawa Art Gallery; National Archives of Canada; M & T Bank Collection in Buffalo, New York and Princeton University in New Jersey.

Thomas was the subject of a documentary film by Ali Kazami titled Shooting Indians: A Journey with Jeffrey Thomas.  Produced in 1997, it was premiered in the Toronto International Film Festival.