Rebecca Thomson

Working with the interchange of flat areas, deep space and scale Rebecca Thomson creates quiet, balanced compositions which shift between representation and abstraction. Alongside automatic or intuitive drawing, Thomson uses a bank of recognisable objects: pinholes, cotton, staples, clips, pins, hair, stitches, flattened matchboxes and notepads. These simultaneously function as interruptions to the picture plane and as compositional devices which may set or contradict the scale of the image. Many works also include a shadow cast from an invisible or ambiguous object. The final prints are pared back and minimal, but with a palpable tension between adjacent shapes, colours, loose drawn marks and hard printed edges. The labour comes in the planning stages, where subtle shifts in colour, scale, composition and balance are all carefully considered before approaching the printing press.
Born
1976	South Canterbury, NZ.
Education
2000	2000 Diploma Teaching (Art Education-Secondary), Christchurch College of Education, NZ.
1996-98	Bachelor of Design (Craft/Printmaking), Christchurch Polytechnic, NZ.
Solo Exhibitions
2010	Suite, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2009	Alternative Surface, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2008	Dust Collector, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2011	IN BOX, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	10th Lessedra World Print Annual, Bulgaria.
	Flying Colours, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2010	Bowl Me Over, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	House of Cards, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Box of Birds, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Twentyten, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2009	Hoopla!, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Imprint, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2008	Out of the Box, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	The Sticks, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Two, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2007	6th Lessedra World Print Annual, Bulgaria.
	Discography, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Let Roll, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
	Rock Paper Scissors, Seed Gallery, Auckland, NZ.
2006	5th Lessedra World Print Annual, Bulgaria
2005	4th Lessedra World Art Print Annual, Bulgaria.
2004	3rd Lessedra World Art Print Annual, Bulgaria. Awarded Special Prize.
2005	Women in Contemporary Printmaking: 15 women artists from 15 countries, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Awards
2004	Special Prize, 3rd Lessedra World Art Print Annual, Bulgaria.
Projects
1999	Petr Herel Book Project, Invitational collaborative print project. Christchurch Polytechnic.
Publications
2006	Printmaking Today Vol.15 Spring 2006