Three Rivers Community College is proud to present the first in a set of three “Visual Fine Arts Graduates Exhibitions” featuring the work of 2020 and 2021 graduating students. The Visual Fine Arts, A.A., provides a strong foundation in the visual arts and a broad background in general education. As a transfer-oriented course of study, it often leads to enrollment in an art school or other baccalaureate institution.

View the work of Ian Thompson ’20 below or click to view the work of Jennifer Guilbe ’21 and MacKenzie Gaulin ’20.

Ian Thompson ’20

Artist Statement

My objective as a creator is to generate commentary from the sincerity presented within each of my paintings. They’re an expression of my life’s experiences; art pieces that range from the extremes of playful imagery to paintings serving as illustrations of my personal vulnerabilities, painting what I know, in a sense.

Difficult themes began as memories such as the subject of loss within my early works. During the construction of Lightning and OG, I began opening up to the concept of art as expression; both paintings display contrasting visuals from vibrant pop-art to grimy cartooning while retaining that same central theme of loss. And, from there, I’ve grown more comfortable discussing topics of love, lust, and insecurity through visual metaphors, painting what I know, in a sense.

No piece has been left uninspired and every influence has been incorporated, from the subdued palettes of Cate Wurtz’s LAMEZONE comics, to the compositional work of Akira Yamaoka. Visual and auditory mediums influence the creation process just as directly as the memories and desires that initially frame each painting, painting what I know, in a sense.

Photo of Exhibition

Work