VIVIEN THOMASON
VIVEN THOMASON
Vivien Thomason is an accomplished North London-based artist and consummate colourist, whose work explores themes of feminism, the climate crisis, and the human condition through richly expressive abstract paintings. After a long and successful career in fashion, she now devotes herself fully to her art practice, working from her studio in London.
Vivien has always drawn and painted, but her distinctive approach emerged through years of experimentation with liquid acrylics, developing a technique that blends dripping, swirling, and layering to create complex, emotionally resonant compositions. Her works pulse with vibrant energy and convey a sense of urgency and immediacy, offering viewers an immersive experience into her personal, and often provocative, visual language.
Her paintings often veer toward the Gothic, embracing shadow as much as light, yet they retain a sense of playfulness and dark humour. .
Drawing influence from artists such as Frank Bowling, Marlene Dumas, Souza, Odilon Redon, and Gauguin, Vivien’s work bridges the lyrical and the confrontational. Each piece becomes a fever dream of colour and texture—an abstract mirror reflecting the anxieties and absurdities of contemporary life.
Originally from Carlisle, Cumbria, Vivien’s creative roots are grounded in the north of England, but her perspective is unapologetically global. Her art frequently responds to world events, both political and environmental, channelling outrage, resilience, and hope through a uniquely feminine lens. She is especially interested in how colour can carry emotion and narrative without the need for figurative representation.
Vivien’s recent solo exhibition Frays and Furies, held at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute Gallery, showcases new work that pushes further into abstraction, while remaining anchored in her core themes of societal unrest and inner resistance. The show has been noted for its bold use of colour and its ability to confront contemporary issues with beauty and defiance.
Vivien continues to build on her artistic vision with a growing body of work that invites deep contemplation. At once intuitive and deliberate, her paintings offer not only a visual experience, but a conversation—one that lingers in the imagination long after viewing.
Vivien Thomason is solely represented by Artwave West since 2025.
VIVEN THOMASON’S WORK
