MEET: SEAN THOMPSON

AGE?
21

 

RESIDES?

Manly.. Syd..

 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PAINTING?
For as far back as the memory goes…

 

WHY DID YOU START?

Wanted to explain what I could not put into words!

 

WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF ART WHICH YOU SOLD? HOW MUCH DID IT GO FOR?
It was a painting of lots of different characters in a crowd. They were different colours and held many different expressions. It sold for $890 and it was called Wimbledon or “Wim-blee-don” as we would call it. I really miss it.

 

IS PAINTING YOUR SOLE INCOME?
I do fit modelling for Lee and bar work in Manly, though art is more or less what I do.

 

YOUR FATHER IS A DOCTOR. DOES HE APPROVE OF YOUR CREATIVE PASSION?
Haha, yes he is also into acoustic guitar, writing and surfing. He talks a lot about how being creative is healthy.

He really likes being a doctor and coming up with solutions to problems. It’s a good outlet.

He has been really supportive. I’ve gotten paint all over his walls and he doesn’t seem to mind…

 

WHAT IS THE INDUSTRY LIKE?
It’s good. Very inviting. Supportive. There is a lot of opportunity out there. Lots of different styles, personalities and materials.

Lots of companies want to get involved. Anyone can do it. It can be expensive to buy the desired materials, but it’s not about that. You can use whatever you can get your hands on.

 

INSPIRATION?
Courbet and the Realists have great technical style, their philosophy is positive: they show it how it is. Their detail added to their subject matter. I like paintings of people. Aussies Emanuel Phillips Fox and John Longstaff were great, Bromley and Richard Larter… the more you look the more you understand and it keeps on giving … James Gleeson and Jeff Smart…

 

DO THESE ARTISTS NOW SHOW IN YOUR WORK?
Yes and No. This is going to sound a bit psychological or philosophical but I think it mostly comes for the subconscious and I’m not exactly sure how that all works. From day to day we’re surprised and have trouble understanding what things mean. I get into these states and have to go and make a picture . Afterwards, I look at it and it makes complete sense but on a whole different level of day to day reality it can mean nothing. There is a bit of everything I have experienced in all the artworks. Some of them are hard to like as some parts of the world are difficult, others are a reflection and a state of pleasure.

 

FAVOURITE TECHNIQUES?
Stencilling is awesome fun when you have time to cut it out. Done in public is a bit of a rush. I like projecting images and quickly sketching them with thick black. Then adding detail to the eyes and face after… Hard to get hold of for some reason but big thick brushes are great for blending and smudging skin tones!

 

HOW DID YOU GET THE MANLY WINE ART SHOW GIG?
A friend was doing the marketing side of things for them and I was working in the bar. We both love art and realized we could set something up and so we went for it and made it happen.

 

HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING AT THE MANLY WINE?
I love it. South Steyne is beautiful, the staff are really friendly. The customers are keen and ask questions. It’s really good.

 

WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
Just about to head off to this job in Crows Nest. It’s a new bar called “The Foxtrot”. Have some commissions to do of peoples dogs! Some are fairly specific. But they will be good. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into them. They are all up in the studio partially worked on.

 

WHERE CAN YOU SEE THIS GOING?
I’m seeing a central warehouse with high ceilings and large wall space for large canvasses, some digital artworks scattered around on the concrete ground. Nice lofty living area and a good sound system. A bar for my mates and holidays in Mexico. Your coming!!

 

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