Elizabeth Petter Thompson
Elizabeth is currently a practicing artist working from her Twickenham Studio in Gothic Road.
She started painting and drawing at the age of three with her Grandmother, a professional artist, living in Rockport, Massachusetts. Her Grandmother inspired fearless use of a variety of media, which included charcoal, watercolour and oils, working from both the figure and the landscape. Twice a week, while staying for the summer in Rockport, Elizabeth attended the Rockport Art Association for both portrait and life drawing workshops as well as enrolling in a variety of ‘plein-air’ painting classes, working with local artists such as Czerepak, Jankowski and Schlemm. This early introduction to painting inspired a deep appreciation of the Arts, which lead to completing a Fine Arts degree and Cert. Ed at St.Lawrence University, New York, USA.
In 1977 Elizabeth moved to the UK to study photography, printmaking and Graphic Design at London College of Printing, Morley College and Sir John Cass School of Art. She subsequently worked in a London Gallery and Lithographic Studio, printing Limited Editions before becoming Art Director in 1981, at ‘The Art Group’, a London Publishing House.
Elizabeth set up her first Studio in Metropolitan Wharf and later in Barnes, West London, producing both her own work and commissions for public and private clients.
In 1983, she moved to a large studio in Ealing with enough space to begin producing sculptures in stone and wood, while continuing work predominately in oil, pastel and charcoal. At this time, Elizabeth accepted the opportunity of working with the Kirov Ballet, drawing in the dance studio in Chiswick during a summer workshop.
Elizabeth’s interest in teaching was first encouraged in 1999, when she was asked to be acting Head of the Art Department in Chiswick, at the ‘Arts Educational School’. “I very soon realized that influencing the development of young talent interested me as much as my own personal development as an artist.”
In 2001, Elizabeth accepted the post as Head of Art at Ibstock Place School, where she enjoyed organizing the Department and teaching the Senior School. In 2005 she initiated the Art and Design, AS/A-level course for the school. Elizabeth resigned in 2007, primarily to set up her own school/workshops from ‘The Studio’ and to concentrate on the development of her own work.
