Zach Thompson is a self-taught painter based in Detroit. Thompson’s paintings tend to focus and explore themes of individualism, humanity, and morale. Figures stand at the forefront of most compositions. Their features and forms morphing or distorting in an attempt to depict scattered emotions or simply changes in time. Dark, typically saturated palettes play with organic lines and shapes to produce a puzzle-like process of trial and error. As Thompson continues to evolve in his work, it most closely represents steps towards a neo-expressionist approach allowing subjectivity to take over. Drawing inspiration from everyday life and surroundings, Zach Thompson’s paintings are as he describes his way of seeing the world in real-time. Experimenting with a range of mediums typically heavy body acrylics, oil pastels, and oil paint sticks help achieve this faster pace of creation. Paintings are often layered in gesso to cover up older works and create new opportunities, while providing texture for foundation or manipulation. Preliminary studies very rarely occur, resulting in an instant release of ideas and emotions. Respecting and realizing the rich history of art before him, he continues to study previous masters with a will to learn from their success and failures. The journey for individual freedom motivates most of the work. Much like the figures in some of his paintings, fighting for a better tomorrow while embracing the chaos of the world.