ANDREW THOMPSON

Scottish artist, and graduate of Glasgow School of Art, Andrew Thompson takes his inspiration from the depiction of plants and animals throughout art history adding a contemporary approach to create works in his own distinctive style. His collections include birds, horses, flowers and butterflies as seen in many paintings from the 18th & 19th Centuries however his distinctive use of geometric shapes and patterns within his work, and dark bacgrounds add a contemporary influence to his work.

Thompson challenges the way in which viewers attempt to find meaning and personal connections within an artwork by his use of geometric shapes and animals which are oddly placed within the compostion. By using imagery such as the full moon, and placing it within the painting alongside the imagery of the sheep and the triangle, Thompson takes symbols from historical art practices as well as religion and philosophy thus merging their symbolism and ideologies to create new contemporary meanings within his works.

Since graduating in 1997, Thompson has won several awards for his distinctive paintings. In 2009 and 2011, he won the Visual Artist Award in partnership with Creative Scotland and was also the winner of the Nairn Open Art Exhibition in 2010.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
http://www.arushagallery.com/artists/andrew-thompson#sigProIdf34e6bed98