Kim Thompson works as both a wildlife artist and illustrator. She trained at Dyfed College of Art, West Wales, where she studied on a specialist wildlife illustration course, graduating with a distinction in the late 1980s. Concentrating on natural history subjects, including animals, birds, fish, reptiles and even dinosaurs, Kim paints a huge variety of creatures for many different companies. She has worked on projects for Marshall Cavendish, International Masters Publishers and Templar Publishing and illustrated book jackets for Macmillam Books. Recently she has been working with a company on a children's pop-up book about prehistoric animals! In addition she has produced wildlife and animal illustrations for advertisments and works through several art agencies.

Upon leaving college, Kim worked for a number of artist's material companies, namely Liquitex and Chroma Colour. Employed to promote their products, Kim taught painting and air brushing techniques at workshops in London, for art groups and at creative events around the country.

As well as illustrating wildlife, Kim is also a wildlife artist, painting for exhibitions and to commission. In the past she was commissioned by Royal Doulton to produce the artwork for a range of limited edition prints of British owls and animal images for their fine bone china ware. She has worked for Bradford Exchange on similar projects. Her original paintings have been sold at Christie's Wildlife Art auctions and are published by Rosenstiels, a major fine art publisher. She is currently working on a body of paintings for them featuring African wildlife, inspired by a recent safari to Botswana.

Kim is a member of Marwell International Wildlife Art Society, exhibiting regularly at their annual summer show. She has also exhibited and sold work at the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art (NEWA) in the Wirral. In June 2005 'Portrait of a Cheetah', which can be viewed on this website, was exhibited at the Society of Women Artists show in the Mall galleries and received the Princess Michael of Kent Watercolour Award. The Princess later bought the painting.

Working primarily in acrylics and oils, Kim's paintings and illustrations are characterised by close attention to detail and realism. Inspiration is drawn from many areas and many other artists, the paintings of the 19th Century Newlyn School being especially admired. Exploring the British countryside on foot or horseback provides Kim with most of here ideas for paintings. She has a particular love for the rolling, windswept South Downs near to where she lives and the rugged beauty of Dartmoor. However, the breathtaking wilderness and wildlife of Botswana has left a lasting impression; Africa is a country which cannot help but inspire any wildlife artist to pick up their brushes and paint!

To contact Kim Thompson regarding Illustration work, commissions or availablity of original paintings and prints please phone: 01329 663528 or write to the address found on the contact page.