Squeeze half the lemon into a bowl of water. Thinly slice the other half of the lemon and set aside.

With a sharp knife, scrape the outside skin of the artichokes just to remove the dark nubs. Slice the artichokes into 1/4 inch slices and put them in the bowl of lemon water.

In a skillet set over  medium-low heat, heat the oil. Drain the artichoke slices and put them in the skillet. Add the lemon slices garlic and thyme. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife.