HAPPENINGS:
» For info on portrait commissions, please email or call.
COMING SOON
Look for George's drawing of Tsana in Strokes Of Genius 2: The Best Of Light and Shadow. North Light Books. In bookstores December, 2009
GEORGE THOMPSON graduated from Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He went on to work as a freelance illustrator for many publications and advertising agencies. While pursuing illustration George found time to play in a band and study acting. He was the founding member of an improvisational comedy group called Premises Premises. The group had a long running Off Broadway show and performed at most of Manhattan's top comedy clubs.
George eventually became an art director for the in-house advertising department of Bloomingdale's while also freelancing as an illustrator. Working at night and on the weekends, he produced art for many publications such as BusinessWeek, Scholastic and Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Up to this point his paintings and drawings were in a realistic style. Since he had been involved in writing and performing comedy, he began to add humor to his work and a new style evolved. He found himself very busy freelancing as an editorial illustrator for books, magazine's, newspapers and greeting cards. In 1989 he left his position at Bloomingdale's to pursue illustration full time. Regular clients included New York Newsday, New York Magazine, The New York Times, Pearson Education, Psychology Today, Smart Money, The Wall Street Journal, Hallmark Cards and Barron's.
George has studied extensively at many of the top schools in Manhattan such as the School Of Visual Arts, Fashion Institute Of Technology and The Art Students League. He was also the education chairman at the Society Of Illustrators in New York where he coordinated weekly life drawing sessions for over 10 years.
Today George works primarily as a fine artist. He paints and draws in a traditional style. His landscapes, still lifes and portraits are noted for their lush color and life. Since moving to the area in 2000 he has been greatly influenced by the Bucks County Impressionists. Thompson has been the recipient of many prestigious awards both locally and nationally. In 2006 he was recognized by The Artists Magazine where he won an award in the portrait category of their 23rd Annual National Competition for his painting entitled "Simon". He was also a six time finalist in The Artists Magazine 2006 Competition in the portrait, still life and landscape categories. His work has been exhibited at the Woodmere Museum, The Art Students League in New York and The Philadelphia Sketch Club. In March 2006, Thompson was part of an exhibition at The Trenton State Museum at Ellarslie Mansion where he had over 30 of his figure and portrait paintings on view. His works are part of prominent collections throughout the US. George is the director of drawing services at Mixed Media in Doylestown where he runs weekly life drawing and painting sessions. He also teaches classes and workshops and runs a successful series of live painting demos every First Friday of the month at Sabine Rose Gallery in Doylestown.
EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE:
Society of Illustrators, NY — Humor Show
Society of Illustrators, NY — Annual Exhibitions
Art Students League, NY — Group Shows
Society of Illustrators, NY — "Our Own Show"
RSVP, NY — Self Portrait Competition Exhibition, 2002
RSVP, NY — "HOT" Competition Exhibition, 2003
Tinicum Arts Festival, Bucks County, PA , 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 — BEST OF SHOW, 2002; SECOND PLACE, 2005
The Writer's Room Of Bucks County, 2003
Phillips Mill Annual Exhibition, Bucks County, PA, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008; AWARD WINNER, 2008
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Spots", 2003
RiverRun Gallery, Lambertville, PA, 2003
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Naked": The Figure in Art, 2003
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Bread & Roses", 2004
The Woodmere Museum Annual Exhibition, 2004
The Philadelphia Sketch Club Small Oil Paintings Exhibition, 2004
Artsbridge 10th Annual Regional Art Exhibit-Prallsville Mill,Stockton, NJ, 2004 — HONORABLE MENTION
RSVP, NY — Portrait Competition Exhibition, 2004
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Selected Works from the Drawing Sessions", 2004
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Wish You Were Here", 2003 and 2004
The Woodmere Museum Annual Members Show, 2004
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Significant Others", 2004
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "The Artist/The Subject", 2004
The Freight House, Doylestown, PA, 2005
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Small Works", 2004
The Philadelphia Sketch Club "Works On Paper", 2005 — SECOND PLACE
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Still Life Show", 2005
The Philadelphia Sketch Club "Small Oil Paintings Show", 2005 — HONORABLE MENTION
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "30ART", 2005
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Summer Impressions", 2005
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Texture", 2005
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Juried Drawing Exhibition", 2005 — FIRST PLACE
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Winter Now & Then", 2005
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Canals: Reflections of Holland and Bucks", 2006
The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion, Trenton, NJ — "Drawn Together", 2006
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "The Male Nude", 2006
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Floribunda", 2006
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Summer Impressions II", 2006
Langhorne Theater Lobby Gallery, Langhorne, PA — "3 Bucks County Artists", 2006
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Juried Drawing Exhibition", 2006 — BEST OF SHOW
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Winter-Now and Then", 2006
Mixed Media Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "42 That Matter", 2006
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "The Demos-A Year Of First Fridays", 2007
The Philadelphia Sketch Club "Small Oil Paintings Show", 2007 — THIRD PLACE, PORTRAIT CATEGORY
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Celebrating The Seasons Feature Exhibit", 2007
Coryell Gallery, Lambertville, NJ — "28th Annual Juried Exhibition", 2008
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Grand Re-Opening Exhibition", 2008
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "Second Annual Juried Plein-Air Paint-Out Exhibition", 2008
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "The Art of the Still Life", 2008
The Gallery at Chapin, Princeton, NJ — "Solo Exhibition", 2008
Galaxy Art Show & Sale, Doylestown, PA — "Juried Exhibition", 2008, BEST OF SHOW
Sabine Rose Gallery, Doylestown, PA — "7th Annual Holiday Exhibition", 2008
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES:
Drawing Toolbox
Making Sense Of Color
Basic Oil Painting
One Day Painting and Drawing Workshop for Central Bucks School District Art Faculty
Plein Air Painting in Bucks County
The Business Of Illustration
Painting The Still Life Painting The Costumed Figure