University of Memphis graduate student Jada Thompson just might be the next big thing in the local art scene.
Thompson, 27, has been showcasing her eclectic, expressionistic body of work at Republic Coffee in Midtown since March.
Her work portrays brightly colored images of everyday people, in typical everyday settings. But to some viewers, her work sometimes appears morbid and gloomy, particularly an image of children seemingly being hanged. Thompson hopes people will see her work from a different perspective.
"I want to be able to introduce topics of conversation with (my work)," she said. "These are images that are not at first what you think they might mean, and it's good to hear people talking about what they think of them."
Spending her childhood in California visiting museums and creating images, Thompson was quickly praised for her artistic ability, spawning a desire to continue to create.
"I got a lot of positive attention from friends and family during my childhood," she said. "Art got me attention."
Thompson received her BFA in painting and graphic design from William Carey College in Gulfport, Miss. After working with an advertising agency for a year, she wanted to work on a master's degree before focusing on her life and career. This brought her to Memphis, where she now works as an assistant instructor in the art department.
"I really want to take this time to dissect my philosophies about art and learn more about painting," she said.
According to Jed Jackson, chair of the art department, Thompson's work is more than just paint on canvas.
"(Thompson) deals with vast amounts of images that flow through our mind on a daily basis," he said. "She uses images that might not seem to make sense to put in a painting, but with them, she creates social criticism, or satire."
Elizabeth Edwards, a professor in the art department, agrees."Thompson is an interesting, inquisitive student whose paintings draw upon an expressionistic vocabulary and the use of a very limited, unsettling color palette," she said.
Fresh Paint, her recent body of work, portrays people, in coffee shop settings, mostly.
"I wanted to portray the images of people in the same setting, doing the same things, but not relating," she said. "We (society) are replacing family, kitchen and home with eating meals in the same room but not together."
Throughout her artistic career, Thompson has acquired several awards, including professional Addies (for illustration and design) and student show awards. But for her, the greatest award doesn't hang on her wall.
"The best award is when someone really loves a work-like they 'get it'," she said. "These are the moments that are my best awards."Thompson's work can be viewed at Republic Coffee until April 30, and at her website, jadathompson.com.
