Artist Statement

It is the beauty of Godʼs magnificent artistry in the world around me that inspires me to paint. I love light. It transforms the mundane into the spectacular. I stand in awe. Colors, rhythmic patterns, and beautiful form perform as if dancing to unheard music. This is what I try to capture in my artwork. It brings me great joy and purpose in life to birth on canvas those things which stir my soul.

I love rhythmic, well-designed compositions with a lot of ʻfood for the eyeʼ. I am a representational painter by choice. I feel that my affinity towards realism enhances the message I am trying to convey. Concept and design are paramount, but by offering complex compositions, full of detail, the eye can keep traveling around the painting discovering something new every step of the way. 

 

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  • About Linda Tompkin 

 

Linda Tompkin, a realist painter working in acrylics and oils, is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the American Artists Professional League, the Ohio Watercolor Society and the Akron Society of Artists. Linda has always known that art was her heartbeat, and having painted since early childhood, this Ohio based artist is now receiving national recognition for her work. Her work has been featured in articles in The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor ‘94 published by the American Artist Magazine, and the books The Best of Watercolor I, II, and III  published by Rockport Publishers, Inc.  An article showing a step-by-step acrylic painting demonstratiaon of her painting of a covered bridge  was published by North Light Books under the title Artist's Photo Reference: Buildings and Barns.  One of Linda's floral still life paintings is currently being marketed successfully in two different kits distributed by Dimensions Needlecraft, one in crewel embroidery and one in needlepoint.

Although she enjoys landscapes, portrait and figure painting, etc., still lifes are Linda’s main focus. She enjoys the wide range of subject matter that can fall within the still life category. Intricate details, rich colors and a love of nature are evident in her rhythmic, well designed paintings. What sets her works apart from the ordinary, however, is her creative use of space, her extraordinary power of observation and dedication to fine craftsmanship. She is inspired by the beauty in objects that she finds around the home and garden. Her paintings are her response to a moment in time.

Linda has lived most of her life in Ohio, except for the three years she lived in Northern Ireland with her husband and four children.  From there she was able to go to England, France and Italy and was able to study many great works of art in some of the world's finest museums.  Her training was mostly from area professional artists and from the many workshops she has participated in over the years.

For many years Linda has taught painting classes privately in her studio and in local schools and art centers.  Her studio is in a beautifully restored Victorian barn on her property.

Always interested in growing as an artist and exploring new ways to express herself, Linda is currently working with pastels and also in dye painting on silk in addition to the water media mentioned above. 

For over 30 years Linda traveled throughout the United States exhibiting and selling her fine art in national juried outdoor shows.  Some of the the shows she participated in and often won awards in were:

  •  Coconut Grove Arts Festival in Miami, Florida
  •  Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in Winter Park, Florida
  •  Naples Downtown Art Festival in Naples, Florida     
  •  Artfest in Dallas, Texas
  •  Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, Colorado
  •  Old Town Art Fair in Chicago, Illinois
  •  State Street Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Michigan
  •  Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College, Pennsylvania
  •  Boston Mills Artfest in Peninsula, Ohio
  •  Crosby Festival of the Arts in Toledo, Ohio
  •  Art in the Park in Medina, Ohio
  •  Columbus Arts Festival in Columbus, Ohio
  •  Cain Park Arts Festival in Cleveland Heights, Ohio

 

JURIED EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE:

  • The American Watercolor Society, New York, and Touring Exhibitions
  • The Butler Museum Midyear, Ohio
  • The Grand Exhibition, Ohio
  • The National Academy of Design, New York
  • The Ohio Watercolor Society, Ohio, and Touring Exhibitions
  • The National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic, New York
  • The American Artists Professional League, New York
  • The National Watercolor Society, California, and Touring Exhibition