Tom of Finland Erotic Art Foundation

[http://www.tomoffinlandfoundation.org/foundation/N_NavbarTOFF.html]
November 4 - December 2, 2008
London, England / Online

Adonis Art
presents:
New Paintings
by David Thompson


Reflections
by David Thompson
(Oil Painting)

On-Line Gallery Available

After a precocious start including, aged 7, a congratulatory telegram from the Queen, on a portrait, and an O-Level in Art aged 12, David Thompson pursued a busy school career selling paintings to teachers and foreign collectors. Later he worked as an in-house illustrator for several graphic design companies.

Aged 17 he got diverted into illustration joining a renowned natural history illustrators’ studio, thus gaining an agent in London and working for prestigious clients such as the Amsterdam Zoo, Hamlin Books, Country Living Magazine and the Catholic Truth Society.

Recently he has returned to his first love, with an especial interest in figurative painting.

David Thompson – Interview for Adonis Art

What are your beginnings as an artist?

I don't feel there was a beginning. I just always drew and created, it just seemed natural, whether it was painting a portrait of the queen aged 7 for which I thankfully received a telegram from the queen herself! Or selling paintings to teachers to fund more painting equipment. I just didn't think about, it I just did.

How do you describe your style and how did it develop?

I don't really ever consider style I think more of shape, colour, values and emotion and let the style take care of itself. These are the essential characteristics of my work.

Have you always painted the male form?

I have always had a great interest in the human form, the structure of the body seems fascinating to me, but in recent years I have pursued the male form as a subject for further development.

How do you find your subjects?

I don't think it’s difficult to find subjects in terms of painting (not models, which are difficult to find) as subjects are all around in everyday life whether to be used in a literal sense or for abstraction or fantasy. The only difficulty is to translate that subject material into two dimensions for us painters.

What inspires you?

The play of light on the subject inspires me. The way an ordinary everyday object suddenly comes to life and transcends its ordinary surroundings. Emotion also inspires me, the attempt to describe in visual terms relationships or isolation of the human form is certainly a challenge.

Were you influenced by any other artists?

In an ideal situation it would be possibly an advantage as an artist to not be influenced by any other work to have fresh eyes to describe the world in a completely individual manner, but in reality its difficult not to consider in visual terms other artists that have passed through. Therefore I do study artists that speak to me (Singer Sargent, Toulouse Lautrec, Sorolla and Matisse).

Adonis Art represents an artist I greatly admire (Cornelius McCarthy). His work has the qualities that I attempt to convey, mainly great knowledge of the human form, great shape making with pattern and texture as well as a colour/value balance.

What are your aims as an artist today?

My aims are to paint the essence of a subject with the minimum of necessary fuss. To develop my knowledge of the human form, which is completely obvious in the works of great artists. I also feel passionately that painting from life is one of the greatest lessons one can pursue to develop knowledge and to empower your work.

Adonis Art
Monday - Friday 10:30
AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday 10:30
AM - 5:00 PM
1b Coleherne Road, London SW10 9BS UK
Phone (from US): 011 44 20 7460 3888
Phone (from UK): 020 7460 3888

Adonis Art Website

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