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.
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