MICHELLE THOMPSON

Michelle Thompson MA (RCA) graduated from The Norwich School of Art with a First Class Degree in Illustration, then a Masters Degree from The Royal College of Art in 1996. Since graduating, she has been at the forefront of illustration working successfully in publishing, editorial and design.

Michelle’s work combines found materials (books, magazines, packaging, photographs, postcards and other printed ephemera) with painted, drawn and printed elements. Her work alludes to shared memory - cutting-up and re-assembling images from recent history, to reflect contemporary themes and popular culture. She works using a combination of traditional collage techniques and digital technology.

In her early commissions Michelle worked by faxing a pencil sketch to the client, then worked in collage and hand delivered the artwork, usually 10 minutes before the deadline.

As time and technology has moved on, Michelle is now totally reliant on the internet, computers and her iphone. Most of her commissioned work is now created entirely digitally, with Michelle scanning in the collage elements and working in PhotoShop. The brief is usually emailed, rough stages emailed back to the client, with the final illustration again emailed on approval.

Michelle’s illustrations have appeared internationally, most notably in collaboration with the influential British designer Vaughan Oliver. Michelle has also illustrated Cherie Blair's book cover, 'The Goldfish Bowl' and more recently 'The Wasp Factory' by Iain Banks. She illustrates a regular column for The Globe and Mail in Toronto.

Other clients have included the Royal Mail, BBC, Reebok, Penguin Books, The Guardian, City Hall, The Museum of London and many others. Her work has been featured in the international design press including Creative Review, Communication Arts and Graphics International and can be found in numerous design books including Hand & Eye and Picture Book by Angus Hyland (Pentagram). She most recently had her work in a selection in ‘Wallpaper’ and is a featured collagist in fellow-artist’s book ‘Extraordinary Things to Cut and Collage’ by Maria Rivans.

As well as illustration, Michelle is represented by The Liberty Gallery who regularly show her collage work, at the London Art Fair and the Affordable Art Fairs in Battersea, Stockholm and Brussels.

Michelle has lived on the High Street in Saffron Walden, with her partner and two sons for the past 18 years.