Thomas Sleet
Sculptor, born 1956 in St. Louis, Missouri. Lives and works in St. Louis.
DETAILS
Born: 1956, St. Louis, Missouri
Lives and works: St. Louis, Missouri
Education: B.F.A., Ceramics and Sculpture, Washington University in St. Louis, 1988; B.A., Columbus College of Art and Design, 1974
Media: Sculpture, assemblage, mixed media
Represented by: Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
RESOURCES
About Thomas Sleet
Thomas Sleet (born 1956, St. Louis) is an American sculptor based in St. Louis who builds assemblages from reclaimed wood, cement, ground red brick, and mirror, drawing on the natural formations of creeks, streams, and rivers.
In this current body of work, Thomas Sleet continues an investigation into the structural dynamics of repeating forms and the interrelationships between resultant internal and external spaces. The evidence provided by these experiments evokes natural structure, synthetic assembly and the possibilities of interface between. This work is inspired by methods of building found in nature; “I get inspiration from natural formations of earth, rock, and debris typically found along creeks, streams, and rivers.” The materials Sleet employs: cement, wood, ground red brick, carpet and mirror – echo the colors, textures and surfaces of these natural topographies.
Sleet works primarily with recycled and reclaimed materials, and does so because there is a story or history inherent in these objects– like a spirit. Working with these material histories, [spirits] enables the artist to articulate concepts and principles that transcend specific composition, material bias and scale. Shape and form evoke function and includes both positive and negative form function. Meaning that the positive form can serve as vessel, shell, solid or fluid and the surface can even be permeable: Effigy, shrine, vestibule, crucible, reservoir, altar, vessel, obelisk, and portal. Thomas Sleet attended Columbus College of Art and Design and Washington University in St. Louis - Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, where he received his B.F.A.
Selected Works by Thomas Sleet
For prices and availability, email info@brunodavidgallery.com or call +1 314 696 2377.
TOPOLOGY
2026
Wood, plaster, cement, tar, marble dust, earth
90 H x 192 W x 12 D inches (228.6 × 487.68 × 30.48 cm)
ARK OF SILENCE
2026
Wood, MDF, black iron oxide, rust, chemical wash
84 H x 72 W x 24 D inches (213.86 × 182.88 × 60.96 cm)
DOWNRIVER. DOWNWIND
2024
bandage, tree limb, skid, acrylic, cement
60 H x 12 W x 32 D inches (152.4 × 30.48 × 81.28 cm)
GROUND VESSEL: CRUCIBLE
2026
bandage, acrylic, gourd
53.34 H x 30 W x 7 D inches (152.4 × 76.2 × 17.78 cm)
TEMPLE OF SILENCE [PROTOTYPE]
2026
Wood, acrylic, charring, marble dust
15.50 H x 12.50 W x 33 D inches (39.37 × 31.75 × 83.82 cm)
TEMPLE OF SOLACE [PROTOTYPE]
2025
Wood, polyurethane foam, plaster, acrylic
20 H x 20 W x 20 D inches (50.8 × 50.8 × 50.8 cm)
UP RIVER: OARS OF OUR FATHERS
2025
Wood, charring, shoe polish, linseed oil
96 H x 72 W x 24 D inches (four elements) (243.84 × 182.88 × 60.96 cm)
BASE ELEMENT I
2026
Wood, polyurethane foam, plaster, marble dust, acrylic
28 H x 16.25 W x 15 D inches (71.12 × 41.28 × 38.1 cm)
I I
2026
Wood, charring, shoe polish, linseed oil NFS
I : SEAT OF INTEGRITY
2026
Wood, acrylic
12 H x 50 W x 10 D inches (30.48 × 127 × 25.4 cm)
DOWNRIVER: VESSEL
2024
Tar paper, acrylic, iron rust, marble dust
16.75 H x 75 W x 1.5 D inches (42.54 × 190.5 × 3.81 cm)
Sky Temple II
2024
Wood, acrylic paint, charring
10.5 x 10.5 x 4.75 inches
Bone River
2007
Cement, acrylic, and sawdust on acrylic Mat mounted on panel
57 15/16 x 55 in (147.3 x 139.7 cm)
Volcanoa
2015
Mixed media on wood
50 x 15 15/16 x 22 1/16 in (127 x 40.6 55.9 cm)
Emergence
2018
Wood and acrylic paint
9 7/16 x 12 8/16 x 1 11/16 in (24.1 x 31.8 x 4.4 cm)
Shamans House
2018
Wood, acrylic paint, and mirror
25 15/16 x 24 12/16 x 2 12/16 in (66 x 62.9 x 7 cm)
Integration Migration
2018
Wood, acrylic paint, and charring
17 1/16 x 16 7/16 x 7 15/16 in (43.2 x 41.9 x 20.3 cm)
Congregation
2019
Wood, acrylic paint, cement, and skid
24 4/16 x 28 11/16 x 7 1/16 in (61.6 x 73 x 17.8 cm)
Mountain Temple
2019
Wood, acrylic paint, charring, and shoe polish
32 1/16 x 32 15/16 x 6 7/16 in (81.3 x 83.8 x 16.5 cm)
Integration of Culture
2019
Wood, cement, and acrylic paint on aluminum
31 x 30 x 4 in (78.7 x 76.2 x 10.2 cm)
Ancestral Tracks, They Walked in Grace
2021
D-print on Hahnemühle cotton archival paper
15 x 55 8/16 in (38.1 x 141 cm)
Exhibitions at Bruno David Gallery
2026 · Main Gallery
Down River: Prayer is Verb
September 4 – October 31, 2026
2026 · Window on Forsyth
I : Seat of Integrity
September 4 – October 31, 2026
2019 · Solo exhibition
Integration: Sacred Space
2019 · Window on Forsyth
Volcanoa
2014 · Solo exhibition
Modem: Topology
2007 · Solo exhibition
Thomas Sleet: Traces
Publications
Integration: Sacred Space, catalogue for the 2019 exhibition, Bruno David Gallery Publications. Read the e-book
Modem: Topology, catalogue for the 2014 exhibition, with an essay by David Lobbig, Bruno David Gallery Publications. Read the e-book
Traces, catalogue for the 2007 exhibition, Bruno David Gallery Publications. Read the e-book
Selected Press
Bret Schneider, “River Ark,” Midwest Art Quarterly, September 2024.
James A. Anderson, “Gateway to Nature,” Miami Herald, October 2022.
Scott Marion, “‘River Ark’ Connect Art with Nature,” Edwardsville Intelligencer, October 2022.
Kerry Marks, “Thomas Sleet,” interview, HEC-TV, September 2019.
CV
Selected from the artist’s biography. Download the full biography and CV (PDF).
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2026 Down River: Prayer is Verb, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2026 I : Seat of Integrity, Window on Forsyth, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2022–24 River Ark, site-specific sculpture, Audubon Center at Riverlands, West Alton
2019 Integration: Sacred Space, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis (catalogue)
2019 Volcanoa, Window on Forsyth, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2014 Modem: Topology, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2007 Thomas Sleet: Traces, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis (catalogue)
2003 Thomas Sleet, D-Zine Gallery, University City, Missouri
2002 Thomas Sleet: Art, Architecture, Energy, Mitchell Museum, Mount Vernon, Illinois
2001 Thomas Sleet, Harwell Museum of Art, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
2000 Thomas Sleet, D-Zine Gallery, University City, Missouri
1997 PostUrbanAfricView, Vaughn Gallery and Cultural Center, Saint Louis
1997 Thomas Sleet, Urban League, Saint Louis
1994 Spirit of the Root, Portfolio Gallery, Saint Louis
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 OVERVIEW_2024, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2023 Visual Dialogue, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2022 Among Friends, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2021 Bilingual: Abstract & Figurative, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis
2016 AND / OR, Bruno David Gallery, Saint Louis (catalogue)
2004 20th Anniversary Show, Elliot Smith Contemporary Art, Saint Louis
1996 Black and Jewish Artists Sharing Images, Maryville University, Saint Louis
1995 Black Creativity ’95, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Collections
Saint Louis Art Museum
Washington University in St. Louis
Saint Louis University
University of Missouri–St. Louis
St. Louis Science Center
Lambert International Airport of St. Louis
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
BJC Hospital
Square, Inc.
YWCA Greater St. Louis
Awards and Residencies
2001 Artist in Residence, The College School, Webster Groves, Missouri
1998 Henry O. Tanner Award, Portfolio Gallery, Saint Louis
1998 Artist in Residence, The College School, Webster Groves, Missouri
1997 First Place, Visions ’97, Portfolio Gallery, Saint Louis
1996 First Place, Visions ’96, Portfolio Gallery, Saint Louis
1981 Flair Award, Advertising Federation of St. Louis
1980 Third Place, Beaux Arts Competition, Columbus Gallery of Art, Columbus, Ohio
Bibliography
Buzz Spector, “AND / OR,” catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, November 2017.
David Lobbig, “Modem Topology,” catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, December 2014.
Chris Kahler, “Systematic Deconstructions,” catalogue essay, Bruno David Gallery Publications, January 2008.
Questions about Thomas Sleet
How can I buy a work by Thomas Sleet?
Bruno David Gallery represents the artist and handles the sale of available works. For prices and availability, email info@brunodavidgallery.com or call +1 314 696 2377.
Where can I see work by Thomas Sleet in person?
At Bruno David Gallery, 7513 Forsyth Boulevard, Saint Louis, Missouri 63105, during public hours or by appointment. Collections that hold his work include the Saint Louis Art Museum, Washington University in St. Louis, and Saint Louis University.
What does Thomas Sleet make?
Sleet makes sculptures and assemblages from recycled and reclaimed materials, including wood, cement, ground red brick, carpet, charred elements, and mirror. The forms often suggest vessels, shells, crucibles, arks, altars, temples, and portals.
Inquire about works by Thomas Sleet
For prices, availability, studio visits, or a private viewing, contact Bruno David Gallery at info@brunodavidgallery.com or +1 314 696 2377.