Thaddeus Erdahl aka “TJ”

St. Pete, FL

Fairgrounds St. Pete Project

Welcome to Florida, laser cut plywood and paint
Thaddeus Erdahl’s diorama, Welcome to Florida, is based on a family holiday card he made when his family moved back to Florida in 2017. Thaddeus has always been intrigued by ephemera and nostalgic trinkets and collectibles. His diorama is a play on “Welcome to Florida” postcards created using digitally manipulated images that are laser cut and painted. He played with the layers, depth and perspective to create a story based on a surreal family beach day. At the center of the composition you see a “take your picture here” family cutout billboard, surrounded by other fun folklore, myths and iconic tourist sites. 

Bio

Thaddeus Erdahl was born and raised in La Porte City, IA. He has exhibited his sculpture and presented workshops throughout the US. After a three-year enlistment in the Army, Thaddeus began his career in art and education at the University of Northern Iowa where he received his BA in Art Education and a BFA in Ceramics. Thaddeus received his MFA in Ceramics from the University of Florida, where he was a UF Alumni Fellowship recipient during his three years of graduate study. In the summer of 2008, he attended Think Tank III, a national art in higher education symposium, as a Graduate Fellowship Recipient. In 2009 he was selected as an artist-in-residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN. Most recently, Thaddeus was a short-listed artist for the inaugural American Craft Council Emerging Voice in Craft Award. Thaddeus moved to the Southeast in 2017 and is currently living in St. Pete pursuing his studio art career while working as a visual arts instructor at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa.

thaddeuserdahl.com
instagram.com/tjerdahl

7 Questions with FLORIDARAMA artist Thaddeus Erdahl on the Fairgrounds St. Pete blog