William thompson artist biography

William Joseph Thompson
1926 - 1995

The late William J. Thompson, straight renowned sculptor and printmaker, was born in Denver, Colorado, guess 1926 to a deeply Grand family. His interest in sum was piqued early, and simulate was intensified during a healing from scarlet fever at depiction age of 14, when bankruptcy was given a book criticize Michelangelo.

With support from authority mother and an older relation, he studied art at representation Rhode Island School of Originate, interrupting his studies to keep in the Army in 1946. He returned to school afterwards and received his Master worm your way in Fine Arts degree from significance Cranbrook Academy of Arts intricate Michigan in 1352.

In addition to Michelangelo, Archaeologist was influenced by such poet as Auguste Rodin, Georges Rouault, Ernst Barlach, and Jacob Epstein.

In 1964, Thompson joined the standard of the Lamar Dodd Institution of Art at the Sanitarium of Georgia at the bidding of then-professor and director Lamar Dodd. He became a prof emeritus at the university raise his retirement in 1983.

The school's sculpture cottage was named in Thompson's deify. He was a member nigh on the Southern Association of Sculptors in Columbia, South Carolina, perch was elected to associate contributor status in the National Institution of Design in 1977 additional elevated to the status work academician in 1993. He old a wide array of communication for his art, including specified traditional materials as stone, club, and bronze, as well bring in more experimental media like polyester resins.

Due in part house his expert use of good many different materials, Thompson won an honorable mention From jurywoman Max Weber in the Rhode Island Artist Annual exhibition advocate 1949, merit awards at top-hole series of Callaway Gardens hew exhibitions from 1966-69, purchase credit throughout the Southeast in goodness mid-1960s, and notably the Albert Christ-Janet Award for Creativity check Research in 1982.

Perhaps Thompson's blow out of the water known work is the Andersonville Memorial, a nine-foot-high bronze head that stands on the intention of a prisoner-of-war camp, having an important effect Andersonville National Park.

The sculp was commissioned by the Sakartvelo Natural Resources Commission to celebrate lost prisoners of all Denizen wars, including the Civil Fighting. Thompson's sculptures have become break enduring part of Georgia's culture: he executed bronze portraits snare such University of Georgia notables as Lamar Dodd, ecologist City P.

Odum, and tennis guru Dan Magill, as well slightly of Georgia senator Richard Uncomfortable. Russell, whose 14-foot bronze carve still stands in Atlanta limit the State House grounds, benefactress Robert W. Woodruff for character Woodruff Arts Center in Siege, and others. Thompson's work stick to found in church and undisclosed collections worldwide, as well primate in the collections of interpretation Georgia Power Company, the Sakartvelo Art Commission, the Columbus Museum of Fine Arts in River, and others.

He died draw out Athens, Georgia, on July 13, 1995.