John Thompson
Artworks currently on display
at Gallery Beneath
John Thompson
AUD$1850
John Thompson
AUD$4500
John Thompson
AUD$1850
John Thompson
AUD$2500
John Thompson
AUD$5500
John Thompson
AUD$5300
John Thompson
AUD$5500
John Thompson
AUD$5500
John Thompson
AUD$6000
John Thompson
AUD$6000
John Thompson
AUD$5000
John Thompson
AUD$4500
John Thompson
AUD$4500
John Thompson
AUD$6000
John Thompson
AUD$5500
John Thompson
AUD$5500
Artworks previously sold
at Gallery Beneath
John Thompson
AUD$0
John Thompson
AUD$0
John Thompson
AUD$0
In the artists own words:-
"I was born in 1951 in Muttaburra, central Western Queensland. Twelve months later my family moved to Kelso, a sheep station just out of Ilfracombe where I spent the next sixteen years. Mid way through grade 11, I walked out of school and went to the Northern Territory and worked on the Alexandra cattle station.
As a young kid I loved to draw. I don't know where the passion came from as there were no influences in our house, no books, no art education. I first learned to draw by copying comics. Later I discovered Frazetta and a whole host of wonderful comic book artists. I drifted, ending up in London, dirt poor but it was like being let out of a box.
I came back from London due to deaths in my family and my mother not coping. I worked at the local farmers club, the Longreach Club, tending bar then the town newspaper, the ‘Longreach Leader'. I was the photographer, among other things. I later moved to Brisbane and worked for a photographer in the city. Mainly dark room work, I still do work my own dark room. I photographed rodeos through Queensland and Northern Territory for the ‘Australian Rodeo' magazine - which often didn't pay. I worked in hotels on the Gold Coast, Bowen, Brisbane and Roma. When I came back to Brisbane I worked part time at the Brisbane Turf Club. I am now the General Manager of Hospitality. At that time I started going to a life drawing class run by David Paulson at Metro Arts in the city. I stumbled on to it. I could pay as I went & it didn't cost much money. Moreover it was being run by a superb draughtsman who was a great teacher and as a bonus told some pretty good stories and drank a few beers. I was with like minded people for the first time. You can never underestimate the benefit of being with people who understand. For about four years I went to David's class and I still draw from the model.
I have always drawn. All my work starts with drawing, Kevin Connor is quoted as saying "If you are up against a brick wall, or in doubt, draw" and in a world locked on fast forward with an attention span that's been shrink - wrapped, that is good advice, drawing keeps me sane