Apollo and Daphne V pastel and pencil 56 x 76 cm
Learning to Fly pastel and pencil 56 x 76 cm
Since 2004 Paul Thomas has spent his time travelling between Australia and Europe. The work he has been making reflects this cultural diversity in drawings and paintings that explore shared mythologies and narratives. Having recently finished a series of drawings that dealt with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, he is now working with the diverse flora and fauna of Australia. This dramatic and inventive landscape allows him the freedom to develop new projects outside of his usual context and challenge his own position as a European artist. More works can be viewed on www.paulthomaspaintings.co.uk
EDUCATION
| 1974-7 | MA Painting, Royal College of Art |
| 1970-3 | BA(Hons) Painting, Winchester School of Art |
| 1969-70 | Foundation, Art & Design, Harrow School of Art |
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| 2005 | Drawings to The Iliad & The Odyssey, The Drawing Gallery, London |
| 2002 | The Odyssey & The Iliad, 150 Drawings, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 2002 | The Trojan War, drawings, Pierrepont Fine Art, Oxford |
| 1992 | Paul Thomas, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1988 | Richmond College, London |
| 1986 | New Work, Pittville Gallery,Cheltenham |
| 1985 | Spilt Milk, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1984 | Paul Thomas, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1983 | Dejeuner sur l’herbe, Wolfson gallery, Oxford University |
| 1980 | Paul Thomas, Midland Group, Notingham |
| 1979 | Paul Thomas, The Gallery, Falmouth School of Art |
| 1978 | Paul Thomas, Riverside Studios, London |
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
| 2007 | The NAS Galleries, National Art School, Sydney, Australia |
| 2006 | John Moores 24, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool |
| 2006 | 154th Autumn exhibition, RWA, Bristol |
| 2006 | Drawing Inspiration, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal |
| 2006 | The Drawing Room, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol |
| 2005-6 | 40 Artists- 40 Drawings, The Drawing Gallery, London |
| 2005 | 153rd Autumn Exhibition, RWA, Bristol |
| 2005 | Open Painting, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol |
| 2004 | Middle Head Studio, NPWS, Sydney, Australia |
| 2004 | Discerning Eye (invited artist), Mall Galleries, London |
| 2004 | Autumn Open Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy |
| 2004 | Drawn Together, Peter de Francia & Paul Thomas, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol |
| 2003 | Autumn Open Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy |
| 2002 | Jerwood Drawing Prize 2002, East Wing studios, Cheltenham; The Jerwood Space, London; MAC, Bimingham; Glasgow School of Art; EICH,Hull; The Lowry, Salford Quays |
| 2002 | Drawings, Cell Gallery, Sydney, Australia |
| 2000 | The Open Drawing Exhibition, East Wing Studios, Cheltenham; EICH, Hull; Sierre, Switzerland |
| 1999 | The Trojan War Drawings (solo), The Great Hall, The Hellenic Centre, London |
| 1998 | Books as Art, (68 drawings, artist’s book launch: The Trojan War), Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham Museum & Art Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1998 | International Festival of Literature, Cheltenham |
| 1998 | Open Drawing Exhibition, Cheltenham; EICH, Hull; Bahnhof Westend, Berlin |
| 1997 | 30 years of Fine Art Fellows, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham Museum & Art Gallery, Axiom Centre for the Arts |
| 1997 | Histories, Four British Painters - Michael Holland, John Lancaster, Anita Taylor, Paul Thomas; Atria Art Centre, Annecy, France |
| 1997 | Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London; Hunterian Museum, Glasgow |
| 1996 | Open Drawing Exhibition, Cheltenham |
| 1995/6 | Millennium Bestiary, (Artists Book published by UWE), Royal Festival Hall, London and international tour |
| 1995/6 | Affinities, Four British Painters, Michael Holland, John Lancaster, Anita Taylor, Paul Thomas; Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham; Kunstlerhaus, Gottingen, Germany; Islington Arts Factory, London; Congress Centre, Annecy, France |
| 1995 | Greek Echoes, Contact Gallery, Norwich |
| 1994 | Drawing Exchange Show, Cheltenham, Wimbledon, Melbourne |
| 1994 | Cheltenham International Festival of Literature, collaboration Martin Green, poet |
| 1994 | Collyer Bristow Gallery, London |
| 1994 | Open Drawing Exhibition, Cheltenham |
| 1994 | Anderson Gallery, Broadway |
| 1994 | ArtLondon 94, BDC,London |
| 1993 | Paul Thomas - Drawings (with Anita Taylor) Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1993 | Malvern Open Drawing, Malvern |
| 1993 | Robson Miller Gallery, Malvern |
| 1992 | Dowty Open, Pittville Gallery, Cheltenham |
| 1991 | Royal Academy Summer Show, London |
| 1988 | Current Work, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield |
| 1988 | Camden Arts Centre, London |
| 1987 | Cleveland International Drawing Biennale, Middlesborough Art Gallery & tour |
| 1986 | Axiom Centre for the Arts, Cheltenham |
| 1985 | Roger Francis Gallery, London |
| 1981 | Chastenet European Art Centre, London |
| 1981 | Paul Thomas, paired Ian Stephenson, New Art Centre, London |
| 1981 | Royal Academy Summer Show, London |
| 1981 | National Portrait Gallery, London |
| 1980 | National Portrait Gallery, London |
| 1977 | Frost and Reed Gallery, Bristol |
| 1977 | Paul Thomas, McMurray Gallery, London |
| 1976 | New 57 Gallery, Edinburgh |
| 1975 | New 57 Gallery, Edinburgh |
PUBLICATIONS
| 2005 | The Drawing Book, Sarah Simblet, Dorling Kindersley, illustration of Achilles chases Hector |
| 2005 | The Iliad & The Odyssey, two-volume artist’s book, 150 images, text by author, Elizabeth Cook |
| 2003 | Drawing, co-author Anita Taylor, Foundation Course series, Cassell Illustrated, ISBN 1844030849, 160pp/200 illustrations; & Cassell Academic, USA (2006 republished) |
| 2003 | Apprendre le Dessin, co-author Anita Taylor, Hachette Livre/Octopus, France, ISBN 201260217-7, 144pp + 200 colour illustrations |
| 2000 | Le Monde d’Homere, Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Libraire Academique, Perrin, France ISBN 2-262-01181-8; p 94 Ajax at the Ships |
| 1998 | The Trojan War, Paul Thomas; limited edition of 50, 68 prints, accompanying texts from classical sources; introduction by Dr Oswyn Murray, Balliol College, Oxford University; Making Space Publishers, Bristol |
| 1995 | The Millenium Bestiary, limited edition artist’s book, published UWE, Bristol |
AWARDS & COLLECTIONS
| 2004 | National Art School, Sydney, Australia |
| 2004 | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Sydney, Australia |
| 2004 | Royal West of England Academy |
| 2002 | Oxford University |
| 2001 | University of Gloucestershire |
| 1994 | Reginald Dent Purchase Award |
| 1988 | South West Arts Award, Mural Commission, Coney Hill Hospital, Gloucester |
| 1983 | Cheltenham Group Purchase Award for Cheltenham Museum & Art Gallery |
| 1977 | Imperial College Purchase Prize |
| 1977 | Burston Award (Purchase Prize) |
| 1976 | British Institute Award |
EMPLOYMENT
| 2003-4 | Head of Painting, University of Gloucestershire (0.79fte) |
| 1980-2003 | 0.79 Senior Lecturer Painting, University of Gloucestershire (formerly C.G.C.H.E.), teaching BA (Hons), MA and PhD students. |
| 1985 | Visiting Lecturer in Painting, Central School of Art, London |
| 1981-2 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking, Falmouth School of Art |
| 1978-81 | Visiting Lecturer in Painting, Falmouth School of Art |
| 1994+ | Jerwood Drawing Prize (formerly Cheltenham Open Drawing), Co-founder (academic liaison and development, panel coordinator) |
RESIDENCIES AND FELLOWSHIPS
| 2004-5 | Artist-in-Residence, National Art School Sydney and NSW National Parks |
| 1977-8 | Fellowship in Fine Art, Gloucestershire College of Art |