Neil Thompson: Spirit of Place

If there is a philosophy which guides my work it is “Genius Loci” or “Spirit of Place”.

D.H.Lawrence is said to have observed, “…Different places on the face of the earth have different vital effluence, different vibration, different chemical exhalation, different polarity with different stars:call it what you like. But the spirit of places a great reality.”

Focus: My focus is the landscape. My subjects are found in the local Hunterdon County hills farms and waterways. I have also produced a substantial body of work around the US, especially Big Sur California, the desert southwest including Taos, Santa Fe, Sedona, Jackson and the Teton Mountains in Wyoming, and Montana including Glacier Park which extends into Canada.

Studio: My studio is on a hillside in Bethlehem Township above the Musconetcong River Valley. I have worked for many years, primarily in Pastels but also in various water based media. Although I occasionally work en plein air, most painting is done in the studio.

Process: The process begins with many long walks to observe and photograph an area of interest. I’m looking for a moment of magic, generally something that presents itself as a painting waiting to be captured. A scene that reflects “Spirit of Place”! I take several photos around the subject and the immediate area. Sometimes I might do a quick sketch. Back in the studio I make sketches and review many photos. Often I go back to the same area to take more photos considering light and colors, time of day, sometimes even seasons. The compositions I actually paint are often informed by many observations and many photos. Sometimes it takes years to finally find “The painting”. Other times I am inspired to create a painting within a few days. The composition is roughly blocked in with watercolor on Kitty Wallis sanded paper. This is followed by the application of many layers of color, usually beginning with Nupastel and finished in soft Schmincke pastels.

Influences:: Art has been a lifelong pursuit, beginning when I was first introduced to painting at age twelve in the studio of Walter Miklos. During the 1980s and 90s studying with Richard Kaiser and Robert Meyer, I concentrated on watercolors. Then, following a study of pastel techniques in New Mexico with Albert Handell in 2004 and Lorenzo Chavez in 2007, this medium became my focus and passion

Background: Prior to receiving a BA in Art from Thomas Edison College, I have studied at Rutgers University, Kean College and served in Vietnam. In addition to painting, I pursued a career in Industrial and Graphic Design in the pharmaceutical industry. I am an active member of the Pastel Society of New Jersey.

Adventures: With my wife Patricia, I have experienced many places and events that filled my heart and informed my work: fog ascending the hills above the Pacific into the orange poppy fields at Big Sur, the ritual climbing of high greased poles by the men of Taos Pueblo, followed the bison Herd on Antelope Flats in sight of the Teton Peaks in Wyoming, a full moon rising over the ruins of the ancient ones at Mesa Verde at the Summer Solstice, Hopi people at the Indian Market in Santa Fe, hell I even saw Bob Dylan playing the Town Park in Telluride lit by a blazing sunset reflected by the surrounding peaks!

New Beginnings: In 2013, due to a tragic illness in our family, I had to discontinue painting. I was not able to begin working again until 2025 when I reopened my studio, pulled out many completed paintings which had never been displayed. Many of these paintings can now be seen at The Gallery at Watershed Wellbeing or in the photo section of my Facebook page.

The Gallery at Watershed Wellbeing: In 2026, my son Patrick and daughter-in-law Amy invited me to exhibit my work at their studio space at Laceworks in Lambertville. Patrick is a musician who has been writing, performing and producing music in Central NJ since the mid-eighties. His current band, Dinosaur Stampede, just released their second album and continue to play gigs throughout the region. Amy is an Aromatherapist, Gong Therapy practitioner and Grief Counselor who facilitates support groups and wellbeing gatherings centered around sound meditation and seasonal aromatics.

In combination, this collaboration reflects how our collective ties to nature, our region and our relationships — can flow together and result in cultivating a spirit of place.