Samantha Thompson is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist and regional arts advocate based in regional Victoria, Australia. With a highly successful career spanning over 25 years, Thompson is renowned for her vibrant, playful, and feminist-themed artworks. Utilising traditional craft techniques and a variety of traditional media, Thompson engages adults in play and explores feminist themes through her academically researched works. The process of creation is a form of play, as is the outcome of many of her works. Upcycling textiles and craft items, mixed with printmaking and hand stitching, Thompson's process is quick and fearless, producing a flurry of work. The handmade nature of her work, colours, and size considerations produce considered installations and dynamic playsuits for people to wear.
Thompson was born in Sydney in 1978 to parents of US descent. She credits her experiences in the family fashion business as being instrumental to her progression as a professional artist. Her early ventures in the creative arts saw her developing product shoots and design campaigns for an international fashion label while producing and selling original work. Thompson completed a Bachelor of Studio Textile Design at RMIT University in 2009, majoring in Studio Print and Weave, and graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a Graduate Certificate in Visual Arts in 2021. Completing her Masters of Contemporary Art from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2023, Thompson continues to develop her practice, which is transforming into performance and public art installations.
Previously known for her bold pastel pieces, Thompson’s diverse oeuvre includes textile art, traditional craft, printmaking, mixed media, and, most recently, soft sculpture and performance and public art offerings. With bold, uninterrupted lines, playful themes, and strong aesthetics, Thompson’s works are a fluent expression of her optimism and originality. Her layered domestic scenes and confident use of patterns pay homage to her formative studies in traditional textile techniques and family craft. This unique blend of practical skill and personality has paved the way for her recent boundary-pushing 'Relationship to Play' series, which examines why and when adults play, encouraging a more playful attitude.
Thompson has exhibited in numerous galleries across Australia and produced 22 solo exhibitions since 2003. Her works have also been exhibited internationally and can be found in private and public collections.
Samantha Thompson Website