"Unwrapping the Gift"

"A painting is a window into another world and you don't try to match a window with anything." Paul Dorrell

Many times when people observe me painting on location, onlookers invariably say "God gave you a special gift." Yes, God did give me a gift, but he placed it on a mountain top because I have had to climb for a long time to reach it. I've passed through many valleys on the way up. Once you locate that gift, it requires many hours, perhaps years, of hard work to "unwrap the gift." In his book, Living the Artist's Life, Paul Dorrell, the highly successful gallery owner/author, says only five percent of artists can make a living by painting alone. They must rely primarily on their illustration and design ability or commercial art in order to survive. That has certainly been true of the road I have traveled.

But, every now and then you receive a message that makes it worth all the effort; that happened to me a few weeks ago. A comment that I received from Dean Dixon, a highly successful photographer from Nashville, follows: "Tommy, your web site looks great and works well. Your painting of our home in Germantown (Nashville) is one of my favorite things. The fact that you chose it to paint was flattering as we designed the house ourselves and you executed it perfectly. I like our neighborhood because every day here feels like a Sunday afternoon and that is what your painting feels like too. Good Luck in all things. You do beautiful work. Dean Dixon."

An interior designer from Washington, DC, recently selected two of my paintings for a new wing of St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville. A few weeks ago I received another message from an interior designer saying that she was planning to highlight my work in her next column in a Nashville magazine.

This month the Chestnut Group is sponsoring an art show, "Seeing Nashville Through Different Eyes," to benefit the Tennessee Art League (TAL). The show will feature urban landscapes and will run from April 24 through April 29 in the Ethel Smith Gallery at the TAL Building, 808 Broadway Avenue, Nashville. One of my paintings is an impressionistic 30" x 40" "Nashville Skyline." My three smaller ones include "Sing with the King," "Sidewalk Cafe," and "Beer Sellar." The show will feature the work of good friend Roger Dale Brown, a national award winner. The opening reception is scheduled for Thursday, April 26 from 4 to 8 p.m.

My artwork will also be displayed at the Artist Market of Wesleyan School, 5405 Spalding Drive, Norcross, GA. The school's fabulous new Fine Arts Building is the setting for this show and sale, sponsored by the Arts Alliance during April 26-28. Shop for Mother's Day, birthdays, even Christmas, and of course for yourself. While you are browsing, enjoy entertainment from the Wesleyan family and the community. The hours are opening night, Thursday, April 26, 7-9 pm; Friday, April 27, 9 am - 9 pm; and Saturday, April 28, 9 am -4 pm. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit the fine arts programming at Wesleyan.

Another venue for my art was added this month; Palladio Group Design Centers in Memphis is now exhibiting my work. Owner Mindy Roberts has already scheduled a one-man show of my work for the entire month of November 2007. The Palladio Group Centers are open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 5. Nestled in the heart of Palladio is Cafe de France, a family-owned cafe of immense charm and warmth. As you dine on delicious homemade fare, you will delight in Palladio's unique Old World atmosphere surrounded by beautiful European antiques, fine art, and friendly faces.

My paintings, "Golfing on the Trail" and "Cloverdale Rolling Meadow," have been juried into the "Arts Alive" Gallery Show at the Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, Alabama. A gala for the artists and selected art patrons on May 19 headlines the show, which can be viewed during May 19-June 19.

During May 3-6, 2007, the Portrait Society of America will conduct the "Art of the Portrait" Conference in Washington, DC. We will be observing master portrait artists such as the renowned artist Everett Raymond Kinstler, painter of Presidential portraits; his protege Michael Shane Neal of Nashville; Scott Burdick of North Carolina; and Jason Bouldin of Oxford, Mississippi. On Sunday afternoon we will be visiting the recently reopened Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.

Our good friend, Jason Saunders of Leiper's Fork, TN, is featured in the Spring 2007 issue of American Artist Workshop. Jason is teaching landscape painting workshops at Leiper's Fork, TN, twice a year. For more information, check out his web site.

Another good artist friend, Roger Dale Brown of Nashville is teaching several workshops this year. He will conduct one workshop, "Urban and Landscape Focusing on Plein-Air on Location, Composition, and Values, in Richmond, VA, during September 20-23, 2007 (contact Tamara at 804-358-2771). Another workshop will focus on the rural landscape in Newnan, GA, during October 18-21, 2007 (contact milandy@charter.net). For more information about Roger's work, please check out his web site.

P.S. If you are one of the many who have been curious about the inspiration and the reason for the name of my painting, "Hot Lunch," please visit my blog.

Girl in the Courtyard

Tommy Thompson painted "Girl in the Courtyard" after visiting the Bluff View Art District in Chattanooga, TN. The District is very reminiscent of an Italian village, with its ornate iron gates, endless courtyards, balconies, archways, and art galleries. Visitors to the District are treated to a variety of foods, including Italian, American, etc. At the River Gallery shoppers discover an enchanting cacophony of bronze sculptures, majestic paintings, beautiful jewelry, intricate glasswork and countless other artistic creations.

Bluff View Courtyard

Tommy Thompson and his wife Marie enjoy visiting the Bluff View Art District in Chattanooga, TN. The District is located across the street from the Hunter Museum of American Art and the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts. The District offers a variety of opportunities to shop for original art, enjoy great food in a variety of cafes, or just relax with a cup of fresh brewed gourmet coffee in Rembrandt's Coffeehouse. The architecture of the district reminds one of an Italian village. There are numerous balconies, archways, ornate iron gates, and courtyards in the area. It is truly a memorable place.

"Nashville Skyline"

"Nashville Skyline," an impressionistic landscape painted by Tommy Thompson, captures the majestic beauty of the jewel of a city called Nashville. Thompson created the painting for an exhibition called "Seeing Nashville Through Different Eyes," at the Tennessee Art League during April 2007. Before Tommy Thompson painted this oil landscape, he and his wife captured this scene digitally early one morning while most of Nashville slept. The couple traveled over the city looking for just the right perch to capture the view they wanted. They found the perfect spot on a little knoll near an elementary school.

"Sidewalk Cafe"

This "Sidewalk Cafe" was very inviting to Tommy Thompson and his wife Marie when they visited Nashville as part of the Tennessee Art League's paintout and exhibition called "Seeing Nashville Through Different Eyes" during April 2007. Who says that Europe has cornered the market on sidewalk cafes? This one in downtown Nashville inspired the artist to paint a lovely impressionistic oil landscape, which proved to be one of his favorites.

"Sing With the King"

"Sing with the King" captures a scene in downtown Nashville. A replica of Elvis Presley beckons passersby to "sing with the king." Although artist Tommy Thompson and his wife Marie didn't accept the invitation, they did enjoy the King's music. This part of Nashville has a special attraction for the Thompsons since they grew up during Presley's generation and very near where the King was born. "Sing with the King" was part of the Tennessee Art League's exhibition, "Seeing Nashville Through Different Eyes."

"Beer Sellar"

"Beer Sellar" represents a little nook in downtown Nashville that caught the artist eye of Tommy Thompson. His wife Marie at first could not see what the artist saw in this almost nondescript building until she remembered a statement from Ned Mueller, whom they had met in Old Lyme, Connecticut, at a Scottsdale Artist School Workshop, conducted by the Plein Air Painters of America. Mueller cautioned the artists not to dismiss any seemingly insignficant object or part of an object as the subject of a painting. He said that they should consider painting a portion of a building or a window or doorway. The famed artist John Singer Sargent once said that everywhere he looked he could see a painting. "Beer Sellar" was one of Thompson's contributions to the Tennessee Art League's exhibition, "Seeing Nashville Through Different Eyes."

"Hot Lunch"

Tommy Thompson painted "Hot Lunch" primarily in memory of his mother, Eugenia. Eugenia loved her cows and even gave them pet names. She enjoyed going out to the pasture and calling "Sooooo Cow" to her favorite cows. She would talk "baby talk" to her cows because they were like her pets.

Many people have considered what the name of the painting means. Some have conjured up ideas of a "Hot Lunch" of steak, but what Thompson was really referring to is the "Hot Lunch" that the young calf has just had.

"Leisure Morning"

Horses figure very prominently in the background of artist Tommy Thompson. When he was a child growing up in rural Mississippi, he had a favorite horse named Liz. Many of Thompson's collectors tell him that they like his paintings of horses.

"Flat Creek in Jackson Hole, Wyoming"

"Flat Creek at Jackson Hole, Wyoming" is a painting that Thompson created after participating in an intensive oil painting workshop conducted by Scott Christensen. Thompson and his wife treasure their visit to this beautiful area of our country. This painting was selected by an interior designer from Washington, DC, for the new wing of St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

"Pansies Forgotten"

Tommy Thompson painted this still life primarily because his wife and daughters encouraged him to. But he does remember the tiny flowers that his mother always planted in large beds to bloom early in the spring.

"Summer Daze"

Tommy Thompson painted "Summer Daze" after studying daylilies in his garden. The landscape artist rarely ever does still life, but he had fun painting "with a broad brush" on this particular one. He felt that he was freer and more relaxed in doing this painting. After years as an illustrator where the artist must follow rigid guidelines to portray his subject with exacting details, it is a relief for the artist/painter to adapt a freer style.

"Atlantic at Narragansett"

Tommy and Marie Thompson have a very good friend, Mimi Sammis, of Narragansett, Rhode Island. One autumn Mimi invited artists Tommy Thompson and George Walker, another artist friend to paint seascapes near her home on the Atlantic. This small oil original was painted "en plein air" by Thompson during that visit to Narragansett.

"Heron Retreat"

Tommy Thompson painted "Heron Retreat" during a Chestnut Group paintout at Radnor Lake in Nashville, TN. Thompson and his wife arrived at the lake early one morning and were welcomed by several blue herons, deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. This original is now in a private collection in Nashville, TN.

"Radnor Deer"

Tommy Thompson painted "Radnor Deer" during a Chestnut Group paintout at Radnor Lake in Nashville. The artist and his wife were surprised to find deer so close to the walking trail around the lake. The couple were amazed at how tame the deer were; several fawns walked the trail facing them and were not afraid. This painting is now in a private collection in Nashville, TN.

"Golfing on the Trail"

Tommy Thompson painted "Golfing on the Trail," using a plein air field study and digital photos taken at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in the Shoals, Alabama. This is the 18th hole on the "Fighting Joe" golf course. This painting has been accepted to the Arts Alive Gallery Show at the Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence, AL, during May 19-June 19, 2007.

"Fighting Joe"

Tommy Thompson painted "Fighting Joe," a golf course named for Fighting Joe Wheeler, who was a Confederate General known for his unshakable courage during the Civil War. Wheeler Dam across the Tennessee River was also named for the fightingest general. This golf course is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in the Shoals, Alabama. Thompson's impressionistic style painting was done "en plein air." This artwork is now available through Savage Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Morning Fog"

Tommy Thompson painted "Morning Fog" early one morning after his wife noticed a very moody, mystical landscape on Wilson Dam Road in Florence, Alabama. The couple were traveling to their daughter's home in Hartselle, Alabama, for a paint-out with their granddaughter, Shellie and daughter, Melanie. This particular landscape reminded Marie of the kinds of landscapes that the renowned artist, the late Lanford Monroe painted. This painting was selected by an interior designer from Washington, DC, for the new wing of St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Kudos from Germantown, Nashville, Tennessee

Every now and then someone makes a comment about your work that just makes your day. That happened to me this week. An internationally renowned photographer, Dean Dixon of Nashville sent me the following comment "Tommy, Your site looks great and works well. Your painting of our home in Germantown (Nashville) is one of my favorite things. The fact that you chose it to paint was flattering as we designed the house ourselves and you executed it perfectly. I like our neighborhood because every day here feels like a Sunday afternoon and that is what your painting feels like too. Good Luck in all things. You do beautiful work. Dean Dixon" There is something very inspiring about people who take the time to let an artist know that his work is appreciated.

Tommy Thompson's Paintings Take On New Look

Painting is similar to playing golf; to win, you must make every stroke count." Tommy Thompson

Tommy Thompson's paintings are taking on a new look. They are showing a more painterly style, and this is being recognized by other artists, gallery owners, and collectors alike. As any artist can attest, most artists labor over their paintings for many hours. After many, many hours of frustration, it is a welcome refrain to hear an artist like Tommy Thompson say--"I finally know where I want to go. I can see my work improving. I know what I need to do." We invite you to take a tour of Tommy's newly redesigned web site at http://www.tommythompsonart.com/ . Be sure to pause to see "Flat Creek in Jackson Hole, Wyoming" "Leisure Morning," and "Hot Lunch."

March has already been a whirlwind month for us. In addition to being in Local Color Gallery in Nashville, Tommy now has works in Village Fine Art Gallery in Knoxville, TN; Willis Gray Gallery in Decatur, AL; and Savage Gallery in Nashville. We learned recently that one of Tommy's paintings is being considered by an interior designer in Washington, DC for a new bank in Knoxville.

This week Tommy is putting the finishing touches on more new work to be shown at "An Evening of Beauty Art Show and Sale" by Agathos School in Columbia, TN. The show is being held in the antebellum home at Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, TN, on Saturday, March 17 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The show will also feature live music and an hors d'oeuvres reception. For more information concerning the show and sale, please call 931-388-0556.

Artists, collectors, and gallery owners will want to read the book, Living the Artist's Life, by Paul Dorrell. Dorrell is the founder of Leopold Gallery in Kansas City. His book is a guide to growing, persevering, and succeeding in the art world. Because Dorrell is an artist--novelist--in his own right, he understands the many trials and tribulations of living the artist life. Dorrell is a columnist for the Artist's Magazine. The success of his book took him on a tour of 60 cities and at such venues as the Art Students League of New York, Chicago Artists' Coalition, etc. To learn more about this book, visit http://www.pauldorrell.com

We learned about Dorrell's book through an online class entitled "Promoting Your Artwork with Confidence," conducted by Alyson B. Stanfield, in which Marie is enrolled. Anyone who wants to further the business side of their art career would do well to contact Alyson regarding her online classes, seminars, and books. To learn more about this opportunity, visit http://www.artbizcoach.com

On Friday we were pleased to attend the one-man show of new works by a good artist friend, Gary Young, at the Gordon Jewish Community Center, 801 Percy Warner Blvd, Nashville. Gary's show runs through March 30; for more information, please call 615-356-7170. Gary has studied under several Nashville area artists including Dawn Whitelaw, Jody Thompson, Roger Dale Brown, Jason Saunders and Chad Boyd. He has furthered his training with internationally known artists Kevin Macpherson, Scott Christensen, and Kenn Backhaus.

We recently assisted a fellow artist--Charles Thomas Cox--in beginning the process of developing his web site, and welcome everyone to check out the site of this fantastic artist and teacher at http://www.fineartstudioonline.com/charlescox

P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest paintings at http://www.tommythompsonart.com/ and conversations about the origin of the work at http://tommythompsonart.blogspot.com/ and feel free to leave a comment. If you know an artist or someone else who is interested in art, please feel free to forward this newsletter to them.

"Even if you are not an artist, if you can learn to see like an artist, your life will forever change." --Tommy Thompson, 2007