Gerry Thompson is an award winning painter living nearby. I wish I could say that we know each other. We are email acquaintances at this point. The connection began while I worked on the campus of Trinity Western University and admired some of her original watercolours that have been gifted to the university. I made contact via email and she was kind enough to respond and we have occasionally written to one another. The invitation was extended and I have yet to visit her studio but I know that I could learn so much from her about developing my art life both as a painter and a marketer of the work. She graduated from the Fraser Valley College majoring in painting and printmaking and she also taught for several years at the same College in the Continuing Education Department. In fact, some years ago, a group of her students founded The Fraser Valley Watercolour Society. She has received many awards for her paintings many of which are located in collections throughout the world. She is a Signature Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour. She does not need my brief blog post but you deserve to enjoy a glance at her work in her attractive website.
Visual art is one facet of this gifted woman’s arts enthusiasm. Prior to her first painting she pursued music. From her childhood she gained musical skills in piano, violin, accordion, organ and synthesizer ultimately acquiring an Associate degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in solo piano performance. For some time she was a college music instructor and for years she taught individual music lessons in her studio. She has focused her energies upon her painting during these recent years, to the extent that she momentarily questioned whether she should get a life and concluded “this is my life!” Her bio material contains this information (borrowed here without her permission but used with great respect.) I am in awe of her watercolour skill.
GPS Application
(Quoted from her bio) “Teaching is also one of my loves. To see a budding artist or musician grow and excel gives me great joy. I don’t believe in the philosophy of “I don’t have any talent”. If a person has the desire, the tenacity, a positive open mind, and a good work ethic, one can become accomplished in his or her chosen field of interest. I believe that we do our best creating in a positive and relaxed atmosphere.”
All images are property of the artist and not to be downloaded without the permission of the artist whose email is on her website.
