The Art of Mike Thompson

 "Urban Rockwell"? Well, we were wondering about this ourselves when we were first introduced to Mike Thompson and his artwork but, after having seen his portfolio and reading his impressive biography we have to agree that yes, this guy is indeed an urban Rockwell! Or better yet, a Hip-Hop version of the famous 20th century American painter and illustrator if you will.

 Mike has been creating works of art for as long as he can remember, so it came with no surprise that he has chosen the path of professional illustration. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 1990 with a degree in Graphic Arts it didn't take long for him to climb the ladder of success and to establish himself as a leading designer and illustrator. He spent the majority of his professional career working in the fashion industry, contributing greatly to the success of clothing lines for Ecko Unlimited and Timberland.

 His unique talents and style, which is influenced by graffiti and the hip-hop culture, soon catapulted his career even further when numerous contemporary recording artists from Jay Z and Kanye to Linkin Park and P. Diddy started to covet his style. Work in the areas of video games and packaging, books, albums and magazines worldwide were to follow.

 In 2003 Coca-Cola featured Thompson himself, along with his artwork in a television commercial, and with the steady rise of his popularity Infinity Motors finally featured the Maryland artist in their “Infiniti in Black” national ad campaign, which ran throughout 2007 and included an in-depth interview and video segments of him working his magic.

Art Scene International grabbed the chance to interview Mike Thompson between some important jobs.

Art Scene:

Ok, Mike, we already know that you have been painting for as long as you can remember but was there a defining moment that you or your family noticed a difference?

Mike T:

When I started sketching on the newly painted living room walls, I guess! ;-) Nah, kidding aside, it really started at an early age. When I was young my dad would bring home comic books for me to read.  I used to love to try and copy the art in the books.  Then one day while watching the Six Million Dollar Man I saw a commercial for an art class. Cool! That's what I wanted to do! So I begged my parents to write in for the test where you draw the pirate face.  I think that was when they knew I was serious...

Art Scene:

Drawing pirate faces? Well, okay... but that was still at an early age and most kids wanted to draw back then and thought that pirates were pretty cool. But when did you decide to make it a profession?

Mike T:

When my parents kicked me out because I did sketches on the white leather couch... nah, kidding again! But honestly, I can't remember that there was any special moment where I made the decision. I think I always knew I wanted to be some kind of artist. 

And although my parents were always supportive, there was definitely a stigma attached to doing it for a living.  My mom would worry about my becoming a “starving artist.”  The typical story I guess. So when I managed to get a job at a small advertising agency creating graphics during my first year at college, I could show them that it was possible to make a living with it.  And once my parents saw I was being paid, they gave me their blessings.

Read the whole article in the current issue of Art Scene International.