Ann Thomson is one of Australia’s most significant artists. She’s been painting for over 60 years, has exhibited in over 40 solo shows and there’s no sign of her slowing down. Her works are filled with colour and movement which command the viewer’s attention. They’re all about feeling and touch, delving into abstraction in her unique way.
She’s won the Wynne prize, the Geelong Contemporary art prize, the Kedumba Drawing prize, the Tattersall’s art prize and others. She’s also an acclaimed sculptor and, as with her paintings, likes to work in large scale. Her incredible installation selected for the Seville Expo in 1992 was 11 metres high and took 3 months to complete when it was shipped over to Spain.
I had a great conversation with Ann in her huge studio in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. We talked about why we need musicians and artists, what makes a strong painting, how to tap into creativity and lots more.
Her work is included in the forthcoming show ‘6 artists | 7 days’ at Defiance Gallery which opens on 23 September 2018.
Thomson grew up in Brisbane and this episode starts at a time when she was 9 years old, during WWII, when her school had been closed down amid fears of enemy attacks.
Press ‘play’ beneath the feature photo above to hear the podcast interview.
Scroll down to see video of Thomson in her studio.
Feature photo of Ann Thomson above (cropped) by Greg Weight
Current and upcoming events
- National Art – Part one, group show, National Art School, current to 27 October 2018
- Mary Place Group Exhibition, Defiance Gallery, current to 20 October 2018
- Six artists | Seven days, the AWC Newhaven exhibition, group show, Defiance Gallery, 23 September to 19 October
- Exhibition with Joe Furlonger at Nock Art Gallery 2019, date TBA
Show notes
- Ann Thomson at Defiance Gallery
- Ann Thomson at Nodrum Gallery
- Ann Thomson at Stephane Jacob Gallery
- John Molvig
- Betty Churcher
- Caroline Barker
- Robert Helpmann
- Kenneth Noland
- Anthony Caro
- Claude Monet
- Exhibition at Musee de l’Orangerie – American Abstract Painting and the last Monet
- National Art School (formerly East Sydney Technical College)
- John Passmore
- Watters Gallery
- John Olsen
- Tim Storrier
- Piet Mondrian
- Ian Fairweather
- Grace Clifford
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- Cite Internationale des Arts
- Noel McKenna
- Joe Furlonger
- Fiona Mcdonald
‘Ebb Tide’ 1987, oil on linen, 400 x 550cm
‘Breakwater’, acrylic and collage on linen, 2014, 91 x 122cm (Winner Tattersall’s Art Prize 2016)
‘The Glowing’, 2015, acrylic on linen, 122 x 153cm
‘Newhaven I’ 2018, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 153cm
Water and Air series Vase V 2018, painting on ceramic 17.5 x 18.5 x 18.5
Fish Trap series V 2018, oil stick on paper, 25 x 25cm
‘Australia Felix’ (detail) 1992, installation, Seville
‘Australia Felix’ (detail) 1992, installation, Seville
Great work as always Maria.
Thanks John! 🙂
This is definitely my favourite interview so far Maria- I loved the perceptive questions and thoughtful wise answers- especially liked the idea that there is a quality of seriousness about very good art- that speaks of the depth of the whole experience. Thank you both👏🏻
Thanks so much for those lovely comments Marvene. It certainly was a privilege to talk with Ann about those more intangible things!
Maria , a lovely interchange of knowledge and ideas and what makes Ann the artist. I was lucky to go painting years ago with her before going to NAS she encouraged me to go! I admire her extraordinary energy it’s there in every one of her works,she is a master always finding the path to the “other”, that comes from the learning and the practice like playing the scales before arriving at the composition! Thank you again
That’s a wonderful observation Ana. So lucky that you were able to paint with Ann.I think you’ve put your finger on something there identifying the ‘extraordinary energy’.Thanks for your comments. Maria 🙂
Thank you for bringing us this wonderful person and sharing your time with her with the rest of us 😊
Thanks for listening Mary-Anne! Maria