Australian Women Artists

The podcast 

Ep. 18 

Ann Thomson

Ann Thomson stands as one of Australia’s most eminent contemporary painters and sculptors. 

Her early passion for art was fostered by influential art figures in Brisbane and in 1957, she relocated to Sydney to pursue formal studies. Her paintings are celebrated for their vibrant, expressive compositions and their ability to evoke a sense of place without resorting to literal representation. Her style is marked by bold brushwork, dynamic colour relationships, and, as a curator described it, ‘a refusal to allow any element to recede passively into the background’. 

Another hallmark of Ann’s work is her ability to oscillate between abstraction and landscape, often within the same piece. Although the term ‘abstraction’ doesn’t necessarily resonate with her. 

Over the course of her career, Ann has received numerous accolades. In addition to the Wynne Prize, she has been awarded the Sydney Morning Herald Art Prize, the Kedumba Drawing Prize, the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, and the Tattersall’s Art Prize in Brisbane. 

Her legacy is evident not only in her own prolific output but also in the generations of artists she has influenced and inspired. As she continues to paint and exhibit well into her ninth decade, Ann Thomson remains a vital force in contemporary art, her work a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the endless possibilities of abstraction

We are having this conversation in Ann’s fabulous Sydney studio.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation