Blair Thomson - International Artist

JULY 2010

Current Exhibitions

Glasgow Art Club (Glasgow) Summer Exhibition, showing two large paintings
John Green Fine Art (Glasgow) Summer Exhibition (oils and inks, inc Western Breeze and Yokohama Skyline)
Scotlandart.com (Glasgow) Summer Exhibition, showing new oils (from June 18)
Roger Billcliffe Gallery (Glasgow), Come Rain, Come Shine (from June 18)

(Also look out for my work on BBC Television (River City) and also STV soon!

ART/X/TOYAMA (May 2010) Exhibition

As promised here are images from this large show in Japan where I was proud to be invited to represent the U.K. alongside artists from China, Korea, Russia, France, Germany and Turkey and many artists from Japan. It was a really exciting exhibition to be part of, with a contemporary feel and a fascinating variety of international styles (plus several language translators!) . There was an international art symposium with the artist representatives of each country and artist's talks with top critic Shinichi Segi, as well as a fun workshop with kids. I was also fortunate to have my large works chosen as the main 'feature' wall of the show, and have publicity in Kitanihon Newspaper. It was a great experience all round, meeting talented artists committed to making strong artwork. After these events I was busy painting and drawing Japan's cityscapes and towers on the spot and also enjoyed learning more sho calligraphy again with Wakabayashi, now 91 and still creating beautiful pieces.

Left: Blair Thomson and his calligraphy master Shujo Wakabayashi

Right: Blair sketched at Sumidagawa riverside

Artists Statement

I work with the calligraphic possibilities of painting tied to a vision charting waymarks, dynamic places on the fringe of our outlook, whether coastal pier fragments or isolated telecom towers surrounded by elemental spaces. Sumi ink on Washi paper with Fude brushes or oil on canvas transform these organically, influenced by the clarity and energy of Haiku poetry and Zen. That spirit of journey, as depicted from Basho to Kerouac, I see as essential practice and therefore I began by walking, thinking and painting outdoors.

Here is a link to view the online version of a feature in the 'Uptown Magazine' on my work (type in 88 for the page number at top under the flag sign!).

Blair Thomson Solo Exhibition 'Trailing the North Wind' May 2009 page

Please feel free to at , you are welcome to visit my studio in Glasgow, right in the middle of the city centre, to see the paintings in the flesh. If you are interested in any of the paintings (or for prices and additional information) please get in touch or visit the galleries where they are being exhibited. I undertake commissions guided by size and style of my work in which you are most interested.