Welcome to the Bunker Questionnaire, a series in which we ask Bunker Projects residents and exhibiting artists a few questions based on Marcel Proust’s famous Proust Questionnaire, a survey that purported to reveal a person’s true nature. We hope their answers and the accompanying photos allow you to get to know them and their work a little bit more.
Painter Elise Thompson received a BFA from Northern Kentucky University in 2010 and an MFA from Florida State University in 2016. She attended the Boom Gallery Fellowship + Residency in Cincinnati, OH, in 2015 via an FSU Exceptional Opportunities Award and received the Mary Ola Reynolds Miller Scholarship in Visual Arts in 2016. She was an honorable mention and a finalist for the Innovate Grant in 2022 and for the MyMA Grant in 2024, selected by Andrew Rafacz. Additional residencies include Vermont Studio Center (artist grant), The Wassaic Project, The Maple Terrace Artist Residency Program (inaugural AiR), DNA Artist Residency, Stay Home Gallery + Residency (fellowship), ChaNorth Artist Residency, and Bunker Projects Artist Residency. Thompson has been published in New American Paintings South #124, Friend of the Artist vol. 8, VAST Magazine vol. 1, Maake Magazine 14, Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, and The Art Newspaper. Selected past exhibitions include The Spartanburg Art Museum (SC), The Wassaic Project (NY), Laundromat Art Space (FL), Westobou Gallery (GA), Blah Blah Gallery (PA), Bob’s Gallery (BK), SPRING/BREAK Art Show (NYC), Shepherd University (WV), Tinney Contemporary (TN), Ceysson & Bénétière (NYC), Helm Contemporary (NYC), The Delaware Contemporary (DE), and Kristen Lorello (NYC). She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Describe yourself in three words.
“Comic-relief, intuitive, flexible.”
Who are your favorite artists/the ones who’ve influenced you most?
“Miyoko Ito, Pierre Buraglio, Deborah Remington, Harvey Quaytman, Eva Hesse, Anne Truitt.”
What is your idea of happiness?
“Having agency over my time.”
What is your idea of happiness?
“Having agency over my time.”
What’s your favorite studio ritual or habit?
“Planning the 3D elements of the frame after the boards has been painted.”
Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration to recharge?
“I like to take a walk to the park to watch the dogs play (I don’t have a dog..!).”
What’s the next goal or milestone you are working toward in your practice?
“I would love an opportunity for a solo presentation of my work, where I could explore an installation aspect that links to the paintings.”
What’s the best creative advice you’ve received?
“Learning to say ‘no’ to certain opportunities can be a ‘yes’ for yourself. Better time management allows for pauses and introspection.”
What draws you to do artist residencies?
“Uninterrupted studio time in a new place can be uncomfortable at first, but in the end, completely necessary!”
Photography by Anna Brewer
If you’d like to support Bunker Projects’ mission to provide a safe, equitable space for emerging artists to develop their practice and create new works for exhibition, please consider joining our Bunker Commons program or making a one-time or recurring donation here. We are so grateful for your generosity.
