THE artworks Anna Thompson creates in her lovely studio on the family farm near Durham are striking. The main subject is country life in many forms – a fox sneaking across a field; boxing hares in a tangle of legs and fur; a colourful cock pheasant strutting its stuff.
The paintings – and others she does to commission – are available for sale as originals or prints, but also translate well onto her growing range of homeware and gifts, such as luxurious cushions, eye-catching splashbacks and practical tablemats.
Anna’s unique style combines bold strokes of contemporary oil painting with vibrant scenes of a traditional subject. “I try to capture the expression, reactions and spirit of my subjects rather than use a photo-realist approach,” she says. “I like to paint from observation and memory in order to give the work a sense of vitality and freedom.”
Both painting and creating are in her genes. Her father is a wheelwright and carriage builder, and her mother is a carriage painter, so from an early age she was surrounded by the business of making and painting. “Both my parents have been a major influence on my work,” says Anna. “Sign writing skills are a family tradition that I like to keep alive by using the techniques in the making of show boxes, signs, coffee tables and rocking horses.”
Her work is regularly commissioned by interior designers around the country working on both private and commercial projects, and her range of homewares is constantly evolving and expanding.
The stunning selection of vibrant luxury velvet cushions printed with some of Anna’s most admired paintings is proving very popular. The cushions are made in England and filled with soft duck down to give them a sumptuous feel. “They’re an eye-catching addition to any interior,” says Anna.
- Stockists include: Beamish Museum; Thinford Saddlery, Durham; Mainsgill Farm shop, Richmond; Homer Hill Farm Shop, Durham; Barkers Home Store, Northallerton; Wynyard Hall Gardens, Tees Valley.
- Anna will also have a stall at the North East Ladies Day lunch at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield on September 24.
W: annathompsonart.co.uk
E: enquiries@annathompsonart.co.uk
T: 079670-142627
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