- Wooden Toy Features -

FEATURE WITH KELLY THOMPSON (FROM EDITION 6 - 2009) // Words by Josie Edwards.

Kelly Thompson not only takes amazing photos but she’s also a killer illustrator, which can easily make someone who struggles to draw stick figures or take a picture of herself for stalkbook very jealous indeed.

Kelly Thompson is proof incarnate that we Aussies should be sorely ashamed for the hard time we have given New Zealand over the years, and a quick glance through her online portfolio leaves at least one person in particular (possibly me) lamenting her own lack of illustrative talent (er herm… yes, stick figures). Yet Kelly is also a brilliant photographer, with an eye for composition that would make anyone blush with envy, so by now we should all be simply grovelling in our collective shame pools….or perhaps that’s going a bit to far. At any rate given what can often be the obvious extreme between illustration and photography, its pretty cool to find one who does both….

Growing up in a small town in New Zealand, Kelly advises her first memories are characterised by an odour. Yes that’s right, your read it right the first time. “I grew up in a very smelly little town, which they call a ‘thermal wonderland’, but really it’s just smelly and surely can’t be good for the health,” she muses. “I was a bit of a grubby kid, when I was a teen I was awkward and to be honest a little unfortunate looking, and in my moments of teen drama I used to sit and draw all sorts of things. I used to do makeover drawings that involved drawing a face with scraggly hair and bung eyes then using my eraser to give them haircuts or I drew in plucked eyebrows. It was hours of fun and then there were so many hot dates after!”

“Originally I wanted to be a cat burglar,” she adds. “And I told my parents this. I liked the idea of the suit and seeing the insides of people’s houses. That progressed and matured into dreams of becoming an architect, then fashion designer, and I don’t know how I missed those two, but I ended up here. I bailed from my hometown when I was 18 and flew down to Dunedin to study fine arts, which turned out to be a bit to fine-artsy for my liking and so I transferred to Wellington to study a bachelor of design majoring in photography.”

From there it hasn’t been all sunshine, lollipops and rainbows but Kelly has developed an amazing cache of work, and regardless of the uphill battles we are still immensely jealous. “It was really hard at first as nobody likes to take a risk on an unknown, no matter much you pull out the charm, so I spent heaps of time emailing people to introduce myself and harassing people for work. In the last two years I’ve finally started to feel like I can do this full time, and I’ve been able to work with some awesome people. I’ve been lucky to be signed with a great agency – International Rescue – who look after me in NZ. I think it gets more exciting and rewarding each year, and I’m now able to faze out little jobs that I had to do previously to survive. I’m really pumped about all the fun things panning out for this year… eek!”

So… illustration, photopgraphy… which came first? “Drawing definitely came first,” says Kelly. “I used to draw like crazy when I was young, I don’t know how that started but I can remember doing it heaps, and would gladly do it everyday now if I could. It wasn’t until high school that I got into photography, it didn’t really come naturally for me, but I just liked it and thought I’d like to learn the technical side more. That is why I chose to study it over illustration. I do sometimes wish I had studied illustration instead, but now its kinda good that I’m comfortable with both.”

Kelly is also not adverse to combining the two, and often a mix of illustration and photography will appear in her work. “I think it works because people like to see the model for example, but they like the idea that whatever the hell they want could also be happening in the frame, and I also don’t actually have to have everything there while shooting. Its much easier than a set!”

From her lovely, Klimt inspired ladies to what can only be described as a magnificent ‘drilled codfish’ (that’s half fish/ half cordless drill in case ya don’t know) Kelly’s illustrations are every bit as captivating as her photography. Though we wonder if she finds it difficult to switch between the two? “Yes, it is,” she concedes. “Sometimes I get really busy with illustration work, get really excited about it and in the zone, and then I’ll get a photo job and occasionally all I want to do is get back to my drawing. But I think it’s probably good to go back and forward so I stay refreshed, and it means I never get bored and every day is different.”

We ask the lady herself what has influenced her most so far? “Although its impossible not to, I try my hardest not to be influenced,” she says. “Or to look at other peoples work while I’m drawing, especially because I do enjoy drawing females and I know that there are a million other girls who do too. I’m really interested in graphic design and the use of simple lines to suggest form at the moment, and I can see my style starting to change. I am fascinated with the female stare and the idea of innocence and sexuality combining. I had a show once and a guy who was about 18 came up to me to say that one of my images ‘lilli’ was stunning, but he found it repulsive that she had no underwear on, and that has kind of inspired me since. I was just curios as to why an 18 year old boy would find an artwork ruined by the lack of underwear? I mean - what is the difference between that and a nude statue?”

“But, if I had to list artists I love, or perhaps have work I’m envious of,” she continues. “I’d say Lina Scheynius , Aya Kato, Ryohei Hase (I just want one of those animal paintings bad), Richard Gray, and Jonathan Leder, I just found Jonathan the other day, his work is super hot and I’ve emailed him cause I want to buy some pieces, but he hasn’t replied ... waaaah!”

So how would Kelly describe her own style? “Hmmm I always find this question hard. I’d say its feminine, sensual, delicate, tidy, or that’s what I’d like it to be, well apart from the tidy bit, I’m working to shake that off,” she says. “When I’m drawing I usually just use black coloured pencils, I like how coloured pencils can get really black, don’t smudge much and don’t have a lot of shine. I nearly always draw on brown recycled card (for my personal lady works) and occasionally use a bit of acrylic, and that’s about it. I finish off nearly everything in Photoshop.”

In the near future keep your eyes peeled for some more Kelly Thomspon goodness coming your way as she planes to make the trek across to Oz some time soon. “[I have] a few shows in Australia later this year, which will be my first year exhibiting overseas - yay! I really want to illustrate some more campaigns and want to draw over other people’s photos more – that is fun. I’d really like to do a full illustrated fashion spread but it’s so hard to talk a magazine into it, so hopefully that! You can expect lots, I’m feeling pretty motivated!”

www.kellythompson.co.nz