Formally trained in graphic design, Georgette Thompson has never lost the drive to express herself through paint. Starting art classes at Art Metro in 2014, under the tutelage of Livia Dias, the frequency and productivity of Georgette’s art has blossomed.
Currently practicing her art in her spare time, outside full time work as a graphic designer at Harvey Cameron in Christchurch, Georgette likes to challenge herself consistently to improve, whether painting a tricky face, complex scene or object. “I love choosing to create either realistic or imaginative works. I use oil painting to challenge my technical abilities, striving for realism. I get satisfaction from conveying a scene or portrait convincingly, whereas I turn to wash and ink drawings as a form of relaxation. In these drawings I have no set outcome in mind, the process controls the outcome, which in turn makes the results unique. I like that I am not fixed to one style or medium. It is also rewarding watching the viewer’s experience of my works. Seeing others enjoy my work is such a buzz.” Her ambition when painting portraits of those who have passed away is to bring life and connection into the piece for the loved ones left behind to enjoy. “This is something that photographs do not necessarily achieve,”’ she says. Her favourite medium is oil paint, and she has come to appreciate the extended working time that this medium allows. “It sure beats acrylic paint in this regard, and I don’t miss the palette drying out on you halfway through! I recently completed a commission of a local scene of the Canterbury Plains viewed from Mt Hutt which reveals the beautiful patchwork of farmland divided by hedges and fence lines. There was much detail to capture and it was also the largest landscape I have done to date.” For new artists, Georgette advises to “get yourself out there. For too long I was too timid to share my work. It is obviously a scary thing to show your work to others but it is also the most rewarding. Try it.” She has work in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.”
See Georgette's work here: Georgette Thompson.
