About the Artist:  Darren Thompson

Illustrator turned Fine Artist Darren Thompson has long embraced change as integral to his professional career as well as his personal path in life.  Life, Darren believes, is conveyed through movement, governed by continual change…much like the path of his own making.

Darren walked away from his collegiate athletic career and general education to pursue a degree in Fine Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.  Once at SCAD, Darren reveled in his chosen path.  Surrounded by other artists and buoyed by the support, encouragement and training that he received from his professors and mentors.   Darren graduated from SCAD in 1991 and began making a living as a commercial illustrator. The road was not an easy one, but Darren persevered.  One of today’s best known illustrators, Darren has worked as a successful illustrator for 12 years, completing more than 1000 assignments for such publications as Business Week, Forbes, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.  Darren’s work has received honors from the Society of Illustrators in New York City and the Educational Press Association.  He was commissioned by the National Journal in the summer of 2004 to create the official posters for the Republican and Democratic National conventions.  His work can be found in the permanent collections for the University of Notre Dame and George Washington University.

Two years ago, Darren once again veered from the path to embark on a fine art career.  Under the tutelage of nationally known painter C.W. Mundy, Darren has developed his painting to new heights and understanding which transcend his illustrative work.  Darren is fascinated with the human figure and capturing the element of movement…perhaps a link to his athletic past.  Through a sense of physical continuity, his figures are suffused with atmosphere and become integrated with the environment to create magical illusions.  

Exhibitions, Awards:

• Society of Illustrators, 2001, 2002, 2005
• Hoosier Salon
• “Echoes and Visions,” Laguna Beach, California, 2003
• Louisville Art Association, Louisville, Colorado
• “The American Experience,” Winston-
  Salem, N. Carolina, 2003
• ‘45^th Fall Exhibition,” Southern Vermont Arts Center, 2003
• Educational Press Association, 1999

Collections:  

• University of Notre Dame
• George Washington University

Publications

• Indianapolis Business Journal, 2004
• Art of the West, 2002

Education:

• 1982-1986 :  Shenandoah High School, Middleton, Indiana,

      Varsity Letterman in Football, Basketball and Track

• 1986-1988 :  University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana Football and Basketball Scholarship
• 1989-1991 :  Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia, Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Tutelage under nationally known artist C.W. Mundy