During the 19th century, steamships were a lifeline for the farmers, whalers, merchants and other residents of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, connecting these small island communities to the mainland. In the oil painting Summer In The Sound, maritime artist Tim Thompson depicts the sidewheel steamer Nantucket passing Brant Point Lighthouse as a sailboat crosses in the foreground. The scene reflects the shift from commercial to recreational boating as the islands evolved into summer colonies.
Thompson has spent his career painting vessels ranging from 16th-century ships to modern sailing yachts. Renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and atmospheric compositions, he does extensive research on the vessels he paints before putting brush to canvas, reading through contemporary accounts, ship’s logs, plans, coastal profiles and weather conditions.
Born in Hull, Yorkshire, in 1951, Thompson grew up on the Channel Islands in a home located only two minutes from the sea. From his home, he had a clear view of the water in all weather conditions, which helped inform his artistic career. A self-taught artist, Thompson uses traditional oil techniques, such as those employed by the old Dutch marine artists. He applies multiple thin washes to fine linen canvas or board, creating an almost translucent effect rarely seen in contemporary marine art.
Thompson is internationally known for his book The Winning Moment: Paintings of the America’s Cup, which includes paintings of every race from 1851 to 1987. He continues to paint every America’s Cup regatta, helping preserve the evolution of racing yacht design. He has also published The Story of Yachting and RNLI Gold Medal Rescues, the latter commended by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Thompson’s paintings have been exhibited worldwide, and his work is in the collections of business titans, European royalty and the Royal Navy, which commissioned his largest individual piece for the HMS Drake. His America’s Cup exhibit in London was attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Thompson is considered one of the leading maritime artists of his generation.
Courtesy of the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, jrusselljinishiangallery.com.
November 2025
