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TERRY THOMPSON: RICH TEXT
June 1st - July 6th, 2013 Artist Reception: Saturday, June 1st, 5 - 8pm |
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
George Billis Gallery is pleased to present Rich Text, an exhibition of Northern California based painter Terry Thompson's new work. The exhibition runs from June 1st to July 6th with an artist reception on June 1st from 5-8pm.
In Thompson's oil paintings of neon signage, he renders wires, rivets and other minutia because of his appreciation for how these hand-made signs are built. This may be a result of the many years he spent as an equipment engineer in Silicon Valley prior to earning his MFA at San Jose State University.
Terry is primarily drawn to older, unique signs that have somehow avoided the wrecking ball. Thompson says, "I see these signs as historically and emotionally charged metaphors for beating the odds. When I render rust, faded paint or broken neon, I'm imbuing my paintings with a sense of humanity and history."
Text is prominent in most of Thompson's paintings and he often amplifies its ambiguity by aggressively cropping. This results in disjointed text and words that confront the viewer, begging to be read or deciphered.
Thompson finds his subjects while exploring the forgotten back streets of cities. This discovery process, coupled with being in the presence of these signs, is important for his method which coalesces into paintings that are geometrically, contextually, and formally interesting; paintings which reveal a hidden beauty in the mundane and banal.
Thompson's work can be found in private collections throughout the world and in the permanent collections of: The San Jose Museum of Art, The Nevada Museum of Art, The California Museum Sacramento, The de Saisset Museum of Art - Santa Clara University, and The Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
Back to Artist Page
In Thompson's oil paintings of neon signage, he renders wires, rivets and other minutia because of his appreciation for how these hand-made signs are built. This may be a result of the many years he spent as an equipment engineer in Silicon Valley prior to earning his MFA at San Jose State University.
Terry is primarily drawn to older, unique signs that have somehow avoided the wrecking ball. Thompson says, "I see these signs as historically and emotionally charged metaphors for beating the odds. When I render rust, faded paint or broken neon, I'm imbuing my paintings with a sense of humanity and history."
Text is prominent in most of Thompson's paintings and he often amplifies its ambiguity by aggressively cropping. This results in disjointed text and words that confront the viewer, begging to be read or deciphered.
Thompson finds his subjects while exploring the forgotten back streets of cities. This discovery process, coupled with being in the presence of these signs, is important for his method which coalesces into paintings that are geometrically, contextually, and formally interesting; paintings which reveal a hidden beauty in the mundane and banal.
Thompson's work can be found in private collections throughout the world and in the permanent collections of: The San Jose Museum of Art, The Nevada Museum of Art, The California Museum Sacramento, The de Saisset Museum of Art - Santa Clara University, and The Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
Back to Artist Page
George Billis Gallery opened its second location in the Culver City area of Los Angeles in 2004 and marks its 15th year in the Chelsea arts district in New York City. George Billis shows work by both emerging and established artists. For more information please contact the gallery at:
2716 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
T: 310-838-3685
F: 310-838-3438
email: la@georgebillis.com
www.georgebillis.com
2716 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
T: 310-838-3685
F: 310-838-3438
email: la@georgebillis.com
www.georgebillis.com