Kelly Thompson was born in New Zealand and now resides in Melbourne. Kelly Thompson has a Bachelor of Design (hons) with a photographic major, and has gained a reputation as a popular public speaker. Kelly creates original artworks using a combination of hand-drawn line and Photoshop colouring, her work is delicate and feminine, at times sensual, and her colouring is bold with energetic clashes. Kelly is particularly interested in organic forms, flora and fauna and beauty illustration.

Kelly works on a wide range of commercial commissions and has had particular success working with fashion and beauty brands internationally. Her work has been published in What I Love About Movies, Curvy (5 times) - Paper Tiger Media, The Purple Book - Lawrence King Press, Darkness of Noon - Pearce Press, Hand Made Illustration - Monsa Publications, Trendy Fashion Illustrators - Monsa Publications, This is Fashion Illustration - Monsa Publications, The beautiful - Gestalten Books, Wooden Toy Quarterly Handmade Edition. Kelly Thompson was an ambassador for the Nintendo 3DSXL, has been a guest speaker at the Semi-Permanent conference five times, and has been invited as a guest speaker at numerous creative events & charity events.

Previous clients include Maybelline NYC, Nintendo, M.A.C Cosmetics, Escada Paris, Penguin Books, Australia Post, Covergirl Cosmetics, Bloomberg Pursuits, The London Sunday Times, Women’s Health Magazine US, Nabla Cosmetics Italy, The Australian Ballet, NZ Opera, Dr Jucre Korea, Good Food and Wine Festival, Frank Body, Libra, Lavazza Coffee & Nicole Warne, Jetstar Airlines, WWF, Sunglass Hut.


Guest appearances

2019 - New Zealand Fashion Week delegate guest - Auckland
2019 - Visual Narratives Lecture Series - guest speaker - Victoria University Wellington
2019 - Curvy Creative Conference - host and moderator - Vivid Festival Sydney
2018 - Marimekko - Panel speaker Westfield Sydney store.
2018 - Your Creative Start Podcast guest.
2018 - Creative Hub - Panel speaker - Melbourne
2018 - Guest Jewellery Designer - Walker & Hall New Zealand
2018 - Curvy Creative Conference - host and moderator - Vivid Festival Sydney
2018 - International Women's Day "Growth Stories" speaker Marimekko - Melbourne
2017 - TV guest - The Cafe - Auckland
2017 - Curvy Creative Conference - host and moderator - Gold Coast
2017 - Foundry guest presenter - Tasmania
2017 - Spark Lab host - Semi Permanent - Auckland
2017 - Curvy Creative Women's Conference Vivid Sydney - host and guest speaker - Sydney
2017 - The Design Conference - guest speaker - Brisbane
2016 - Look Hear conference guest speaker - Newcastle
2016 - Seafarers Club guest speaker - Auckland
2016 - Windsor Workshop host - Melbourne
2015 - Spark Lab Workshop host - Auckland
2015 - OXFAM Design For Change guest speaker - Sydney
2015 - New Zealand Fashion Week delegate guest - Auckland
2015 - Workshop Young & Lost guest speaker - Melbourne
2014 - Western Digital (WD) NAS event speaker - Melbourne
2014 - Maybelline NY Art Class host - Auckland
2014 - Semi Permanent Curvy Panel speaker - Sydney
2014 - Curvy book guest curator
2013 - Semi Permanent guest speaker - Auckland
2013 - RMIT University guest lecturer - Melbourne
2013 - Nintendo Masterclass host - Melbourne & Sydney a
2012 - Guest Speaker at Billy Blue College of Design - Melbourne
2012 - JASU campaign featured Stylemaker
2012 - Nintendo New Art Academy Ambassador
2012 - Always Sometimes Anytime NZFW guest writer
2012 - RMIT University guest lecturer - Melbourne
2011 - The Loop Portfolio Masterclass mentor - Melbourne
2011 - Semi Permanent guest speaker - Sydney
2011 - Semi Permanent guest speaker - Melbourne
2011 - Semi Permanent guest speaker - Brisbane
2010 - Fashion Palette guest speaker -Sydney
2010 - UCOL guest speaker - Wanganui NZ

Publications and Awards

2019 - What Would She Do, Carlton Books
2018 - Stand Up Stand Out, Carlton Books
2014 - What I Love About Movies
2014 - Pride in Print Gold Award Winner
2014 - Curvy Book Feature Artist
2013 - Pride in Print Gold Award Winner
2013 - The Purple Book, Lawrence King Press
2013 - Darkness of Noon, Pearce Press
2011 - Hand Made Illustration, Monsa Publications
2010 - Trendy Fashion Illustrators, Monsa Publications
2010 - This is Fashion Illustration, Monsa Publications
2010 - The Beautiful, Gestalten Books
2010 - Curvy Book
2009 - Wooden Toy Quarterly, Handmade Edition
2009 - Curvy Book feature artist
2008 - Curvy Book
2007 - Curvy Book


Exhibitions

Solo
2011 - National Grid Gallery, Pyjama Party - Sydney
2010 - Superette Store, Chick Habit - Auckland
2009 - Gorker Gallery, Bookworms Never go to Bed Alone - Melbourne
2008 - Pixel Ink Gallery NZ, Recent Works - Wellington
2007 - Good as Gold Store, Women of my Dreams - Wellington

Group
2016 - Les Petit Fours - Friends of Leon Gallery
2014 - Curvy Exhibition - Semi Permanent - Sydney
2013 - Darkness of Noon The Department Store -Auckland
2013 - Darkness of Noon Edmund Pearce Gallery - Melbourne
2012 - Curvy Book launch exhibition - Wellington
2012 - Kathryn Wilson Art of Shoes,The Northern Club - Auckland
2010 - 22,National Grid Gallery - Sydney
2010 - Article 19, Amnesty International- Auckland
2010 - Forty Thieves, Gorker Gallery - Melbourne
2009 - Paint Your Heart Out, ruby Boutique - Auckland
2009 - Love Hurts, Tattooed Heart Gallery - Auckland
2009 - A Tale of Two Kellys, Per Square Metre Gallery - Melbourne
2009 - Handdrawn, Wooden Toy Magazine, Gorker Gallery - Melbourne
2009 - Curvy Book exhibition - Sydney
2009 - Frankie Magazine exhibition - Brisbane
2008 - Fashion Week Gallery - Auckland
2008 - Manky Chops Gallery - Wellington