Artist Statement
Nothing But Neon, 2021
I see beauty in old neon signs.
I have always been fascinated by the glow inside the hand-bent, glass tubes. I enjoy the sculptural, mechanical, one-of-a-kind aspects of my subjects. And the words, fonts, caricatures, and colors; I love all of that too.
Sometimes these signs are weather worn, rusted and dilapidated, with layers of peeling paint – all of which speak to change, and unrelenting time. I try to embrace and honor these signs from a by-gone era, an idealized “America” reminiscent of my youth. They are part of our history, for better or worse.
My process begins with finding the sign. I spend a lot of time searching for them, looking on-line, and in books. Some I just stumble upon. When I travel, I hunt for signs, so many of my paintings chronical my travels. I’ve painted signs from Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Oklahoma, Nevada, Indiana, Montana, Texas, and my home state of California.
I take lots of photographs of each sign, often at different times of the day. I study the sign; I strive to absorb the essence of the sign and the place. Then, after doing a basic drawing, I begin painting, usually in many thin layers. I often make numerous changes in color and composition, until I am happy.
Sadly, many of the signs that I’ve painted have since been destroyed or have disappeared. I never thought I would be doing documentation, but as time passes, this has become another facet of my work.
Artist Biography
Terry Thompson was born in 1963 in Mountain View, CA. His initial studies were in industrial technology and he worked as an equipment engineer for various tech companies in Silicon Valley. While the work was interesting to Thompson, he could not get away from painting and went on to receive his BA and MFA from San Jose State University (CA). Thompson has exhibited throughout the West Coast and his work can be found in private collections throughout the world and in the permanent collections of The San Jose Museum of Art, The Nevada Museum of Art, The California Museum -Sacramento, The de Saisset Museum of Art - Santa Clara University, and The Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Terry Thompson lives and works in San Francisco.
Nothing But Neon, 2021
I see beauty in old neon signs.
I have always been fascinated by the glow inside the hand-bent, glass tubes. I enjoy the sculptural, mechanical, one-of-a-kind aspects of my subjects. And the words, fonts, caricatures, and colors; I love all of that too.
Sometimes these signs are weather worn, rusted and dilapidated, with layers of peeling paint – all of which speak to change, and unrelenting time. I try to embrace and honor these signs from a by-gone era, an idealized “America” reminiscent of my youth. They are part of our history, for better or worse.
My process begins with finding the sign. I spend a lot of time searching for them, looking on-line, and in books. Some I just stumble upon. When I travel, I hunt for signs, so many of my paintings chronical my travels. I’ve painted signs from Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Oklahoma, Nevada, Indiana, Montana, Texas, and my home state of California.
I take lots of photographs of each sign, often at different times of the day. I study the sign; I strive to absorb the essence of the sign and the place. Then, after doing a basic drawing, I begin painting, usually in many thin layers. I often make numerous changes in color and composition, until I am happy.
Sadly, many of the signs that I’ve painted have since been destroyed or have disappeared. I never thought I would be doing documentation, but as time passes, this has become another facet of my work.
Artist Biography
Terry Thompson was born in 1963 in Mountain View, CA. His initial studies were in industrial technology and he worked as an equipment engineer for various tech companies in Silicon Valley. While the work was interesting to Thompson, he could not get away from painting and went on to receive his BA and MFA from San Jose State University (CA). Thompson has exhibited throughout the West Coast and his work can be found in private collections throughout the world and in the permanent collections of The San Jose Museum of Art, The Nevada Museum of Art, The California Museum -Sacramento, The de Saisset Museum of Art - Santa Clara University, and The Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Terry Thompson lives and works in San Francisco.
RESUME
BORN Mountain View, CA; lives and works in San Francisco, CA
EDUCATION
2005 M.F.A. San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2003 B.A. Studio Art, summa cum laude, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
1995 B.S. Industrial Technology, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Nothing But Neon, New Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Sign Language, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 Words & Picture, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Dive Motels and Cheap Eats, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013 Rich Text, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Signs of Life, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Everything is Electrified, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2010 Recent Work, ArtZone 461 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 New Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2009 The Streets of San Francisco, Caffe’ Museo, SF MOMA Artist’s Gallery
2007 Terry Thompson, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2006 Roadside Art, The California Museum for History, Women & the Arts, Sacramento, CA
2006 Recent Work, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2005 Neon Nights, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 New Work, Voshan Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2003 Recent Paintings, Voshan Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2002 Cityscapes, d.p. fong galleries, San Jose, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 The Cityscape Show XII, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Art Market San Francisco, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2017 The Cityscape Show VII, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 The Cityscape Show IV, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 Image Hungry, Gary Francis Gallery, Alameda, CA
2014 Red Dot Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Miami, FL
2014 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair
2013 Cover to Cover: A Survey of Artist Members' Photo Books, SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA
2012 Three Artist Exhibition: SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2012 Photographs by Terry Thompson, Stanford Art Space, Stanford University, CA
2012 Contemporary Realism Biennial (catalogue), Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2012 Chain Reaction: Artists Consider the Bicycle, The de Saisset Museum of Art, Santa Clara University, CA
2012 George Billis Gallery, San Francisco Fine Art Fair—Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2011 The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2011 16 @ 49, ModernBook Gallery, San Francisco, CA (photography)
2010 The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2010 Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2010 The Seduction of Duchamp, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, CA (Catalog)
2010 The Seduction of Duchamp – Bay Area Artists’ Response, 461 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 Los Angeles Art Show (George Billis) L.A., CA
2009 A Sense of Place, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
2009 Environments, Louie Meager Art Gallery, Ohlone College, Fremont CA (photographs)
2008 2008 Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne,
IN (Catalog)
2008 City Light- A Cityscape Group Show, George Billis Gallery, NY, NY
2008 Building a Team: 11th Annual Art of Baseball Exhibition, George Krevsky Gallery,
San Francisco, CA
2008 Los Angeles Art Show (George Billis), Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, CA
2007 Friends and Artists, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2007 San Francisco Scenes, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007 Pop Realism, George Billis Gallery, L.A. CA
2007 Red Dot Art Fair (George Billis), New York, NY.
2007 City Life, SFMOMA Artist’s Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2006 The Last Picture Show, F8 Fine Art Gallery, Austin, Texas
2006 ICA 26th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2006 Lift Off, SJSU MFA Graduates, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2005 New California Masters, WORKS Gallery San Jose, CA (statewide, juried)
2005 Violet Speddy Scholarship, San Jose State University
2004 Catherine Urban Scholarship, SJSU ICA 25th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of
Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 Fresh Strokes, Heritage Fine Arts Collaborative, San Jose, CA
2004 ICA 24th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 Introductions 2004, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA (Catalog)
2004 Landscapes & Cityscapes, d.p. fong Galleries, San Jose, CA
2003 Art Bowl III - Juried Northern Cal. M.F.A. Exhibition, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2003 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, California
2002 Current SJSU Faculty and Student Work, Heritage Fine Arts Collaborative, San Jose, CA
2002 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, CA
2002 WORKS 25th Anniversary Members Show, WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA
2002 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Exhibition, Los Gatos Art Museum
2002 WORKS Annual Member Show, WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA
HONORS AND AWARDS
2003 Helen Dooley Scholarship, SJSU • Randall Sadler Scholarship, SJSU
2003 Honorable Mention, Los Gatos Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition, Los Gatos
Art Museum
2002 Merit award, AVA Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA
2002 First Place, Los Gatos Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition, (Juror - Randall Sexton)
COMMISSIONS
Red Car Wines, L.A., CA
San Jose Jazz Society, San Jose, CA
Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, Los Gatos, CA
IBM Corporation, San Jose, CA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2004-05 Instructor - San Jose State University, School of Art & Design, San Jose, CA
2005, 2007 Invited Lecturer – San Jose Art History Club
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jaccarino, Pamela, “2015 Gold List” Luxe Interiors & Design, Los Angeles, Vol. 13, Issue 1, 2015. Print.
Hernandez, Jo Farb. A Celebration of 100 Years of the Department of Art. San Jose, Natalie & James Thompson, SJSU Art Dept. 2013. Print
Rose, Joshua, “Banal Beauty” - American Art Collector (July, 2009)
Contemporary American Realism. Essays by Annette Blaugrund and Donald Kuspit, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 2008 Biennial, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 2008
Elliott, Amy, “January Art Fair Preview” American Art Collector (January, 2008)
Rose, Joshua, “Signs of the Times” American Art Collector (July, 2007)
Dalkey, Victoria, “Critic’s Pick” Sacramento Bee (March 24, 2006)
Swanson, Ben, et al, The Santa Clara Review – Volume 93, no.1 2006, Santa Clara University
White, Tim, “Urban Images” Sacramento News & Reviews (July 22, 2004).
Gant, Michael S., “Neon Notions,” Metro Newspaper (22 August, 2002).
FILM
2008 Opal- Reflective Films, stop motion animation drawing sequence.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
The San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
The California Museum, Sacramento, CA
The Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
De Saisset Museum of Art, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Metro Newspaper, San Jose, CA
IBM Corp., San Jose, CA
BORN Mountain View, CA; lives and works in San Francisco, CA
EDUCATION
2005 M.F.A. San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
2003 B.A. Studio Art, summa cum laude, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
1995 B.S. Industrial Technology, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Nothing But Neon, New Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Sign Language, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2017 Words & Picture, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Dive Motels and Cheap Eats, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013 Rich Text, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Signs of Life, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2011 Everything is Electrified, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2010 Recent Work, ArtZone 461 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 New Paintings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2009 The Streets of San Francisco, Caffe’ Museo, SF MOMA Artist’s Gallery
2007 Terry Thompson, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2006 Roadside Art, The California Museum for History, Women & the Arts, Sacramento, CA
2006 Recent Work, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2005 Neon Nights, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 New Work, Voshan Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2003 Recent Paintings, Voshan Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2002 Cityscapes, d.p. fong galleries, San Jose, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 The Cityscape Show XII, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Art Market San Francisco, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2017 The Cityscape Show VII, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 The Cityscape Show IV, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 Image Hungry, Gary Francis Gallery, Alameda, CA
2014 Red Dot Art Fair, George Billis Gallery, Miami, FL
2014 Palm Springs Fine Art Fair
2013 Cover to Cover: A Survey of Artist Members' Photo Books, SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA
2012 Three Artist Exhibition: SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2012 Photographs by Terry Thompson, Stanford Art Space, Stanford University, CA
2012 Contemporary Realism Biennial (catalogue), Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2012 Chain Reaction: Artists Consider the Bicycle, The de Saisset Museum of Art, Santa Clara University, CA
2012 George Billis Gallery, San Francisco Fine Art Fair—Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2011 The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2011 16 @ 49, ModernBook Gallery, San Francisco, CA (photography)
2010 The San Francisco Fine Art Fair, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA
2010 Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
2010 The Seduction of Duchamp, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, CA (Catalog)
2010 The Seduction of Duchamp – Bay Area Artists’ Response, 461 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 Los Angeles Art Show (George Billis) L.A., CA
2009 A Sense of Place, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
2009 Environments, Louie Meager Art Gallery, Ohlone College, Fremont CA (photographs)
2008 2008 Biennial: Contemporary American Realism, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne,
IN (Catalog)
2008 City Light- A Cityscape Group Show, George Billis Gallery, NY, NY
2008 Building a Team: 11th Annual Art of Baseball Exhibition, George Krevsky Gallery,
San Francisco, CA
2008 Los Angeles Art Show (George Billis), Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, CA
2007 Friends and Artists, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2007 San Francisco Scenes, George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007 Pop Realism, George Billis Gallery, L.A. CA
2007 Red Dot Art Fair (George Billis), New York, NY.
2007 City Life, SFMOMA Artist’s Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2006 The Last Picture Show, F8 Fine Art Gallery, Austin, Texas
2006 ICA 26th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2006 Lift Off, SJSU MFA Graduates, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2005 New California Masters, WORKS Gallery San Jose, CA (statewide, juried)
2005 Violet Speddy Scholarship, San Jose State University
2004 Catherine Urban Scholarship, SJSU ICA 25th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of
Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 Fresh Strokes, Heritage Fine Arts Collaborative, San Jose, CA
2004 ICA 24th Annual Fall Art Auction, Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
2004 Introductions 2004, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA (Catalog)
2004 Landscapes & Cityscapes, d.p. fong Galleries, San Jose, CA
2003 Art Bowl III - Juried Northern Cal. M.F.A. Exhibition, b. sakata garo, Sacramento, CA
2003 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, California
2002 Current SJSU Faculty and Student Work, Heritage Fine Arts Collaborative, San Jose, CA
2002 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Show, Los Gatos Art Museum, Los Gatos, CA
2002 WORKS 25th Anniversary Members Show, WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA
2002 Los Gatos Art Association Juried Exhibition, Los Gatos Art Museum
2002 WORKS Annual Member Show, WORKS Gallery, San Jose, CA
HONORS AND AWARDS
2003 Helen Dooley Scholarship, SJSU • Randall Sadler Scholarship, SJSU
2003 Honorable Mention, Los Gatos Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition, Los Gatos
Art Museum
2002 Merit award, AVA Exhibition, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA
2002 First Place, Los Gatos Art Association Annual Juried Exhibition, (Juror - Randall Sexton)
COMMISSIONS
Red Car Wines, L.A., CA
San Jose Jazz Society, San Jose, CA
Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, Los Gatos, CA
IBM Corporation, San Jose, CA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2004-05 Instructor - San Jose State University, School of Art & Design, San Jose, CA
2005, 2007 Invited Lecturer – San Jose Art History Club
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jaccarino, Pamela, “2015 Gold List” Luxe Interiors & Design, Los Angeles, Vol. 13, Issue 1, 2015. Print.
Hernandez, Jo Farb. A Celebration of 100 Years of the Department of Art. San Jose, Natalie & James Thompson, SJSU Art Dept. 2013. Print
Rose, Joshua, “Banal Beauty” - American Art Collector (July, 2009)
Contemporary American Realism. Essays by Annette Blaugrund and Donald Kuspit, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, 2008 Biennial, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 2008
Elliott, Amy, “January Art Fair Preview” American Art Collector (January, 2008)
Rose, Joshua, “Signs of the Times” American Art Collector (July, 2007)
Dalkey, Victoria, “Critic’s Pick” Sacramento Bee (March 24, 2006)
Swanson, Ben, et al, The Santa Clara Review – Volume 93, no.1 2006, Santa Clara University
White, Tim, “Urban Images” Sacramento News & Reviews (July 22, 2004).
Gant, Michael S., “Neon Notions,” Metro Newspaper (22 August, 2002).
FILM
2008 Opal- Reflective Films, stop motion animation drawing sequence.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
The San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
The California Museum, Sacramento, CA
The Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, NV
The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
De Saisset Museum of Art, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA
Metro Newspaper, San Jose, CA
IBM Corp., San Jose, CA
