Walking into the coffee house, lit by the late-day sun and filled with the clicks of student fingers on keyboards, I awkwardly glanced around, wondering if I was the first to arrive and, if so, what table would be best to sit at so as to be easily seen. I didn’t need to overthink for long, as I caught the amiable eyes of a woman perched at a table nearest to the counter. Smiling after the realization, I sat across from her and was eased by the vivid patterns of her dress, zany earrings, and bright lipstick. Over our shared sugary pink drinks, I had the pleasure of getting to know Kathryn Thompson, the resident artist of Norse By God, whose ornate design of a twisted serpent and cardinals was printed on my project t-shirt.
Interview
Thompson’s artistic passion was sparked by the narrative and illustrations depicted in C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narina, a fantasy adventure that captures the inspired imagery of Irish hills and castles that acted as a homely balm to his tormented soul during his time serving in both the First and Second World Wars, along with functioning as a portrayal of his strong Chrisitan faith.
Thompson recounts how she first came across the story at the age of six, after stopping by a Chick-fil-A with her family. “I was devastated to get a book instead of a stuffed cow,” she humorously said, remembering the time when the fast-food chain handed out small copies of The Chronicles of Narnia and Edmound and the White Witch, “But of course my parents read it to me.” Unbeknownst to her, that little book in the kid’s meal would become a core component of her art. Drawn in by the colors and fantastical world-building, by the second grade, Thompson began reading the entire series; Thompson said she thought, “I belong here.”
“Narnia probably helped inspire my medieval love,” she reflected. Though she enrolled in college and later grad school as an English major, she later added history after attending a class with Norse By God’s own founder, Dr. Laura Michele Diener. “She was the most precious person,” Thompson remembered fondly. Diener’s welcoming and lively personality charmed Thompson, who later went on to take multiple classes in the department, including a Greek and Roman Classics course, a Vikings course, a Medieval Irish Independent Study, and a study abroad in Italy to research Medieval Italian Women. Thompson’s scholarship did not end there, as she also tutored in German and worked in the Writing Center.
However, while her art began as a personal hobby, and she set it aside while pursuing her degrees, it was her self-taught, creative talent that secured her a dream career. Thompson had attended Grace Christian School as a child, which at the time did not have an art teacher on staff. Fast forward to post-graduation, and the shared student struggle of trying to find a job, when she was approached with the opportunity to return to Grace Christian as its new art teacher. “I was very blessed,” she said, “I didn’t know art was something you could do, but for some reason I thought being a writer was.”
Now an instructor of art for ages 3 to 15, Thompson is helping nurture the artistic expression of her students. “I like the small class size I have because you can develop relationships,” she explained. In her class, she likes to incorporate surrealism, fantasy, and whimsical elements with the realistic. “Sometimes I will have them draw a dragon,” she told me, “which I like because the boys like it. It’s hard getting boys involved because most art stuff is geared towards girls. I appreciate authenticity and grade on completion.” Within her own class, she still remembers Dr. Diener. “I loved her passion, friendliness, and how she was so enthusiastic. I try to follow her teaching persona when crafting mine.”
Art is not the only class Thompson’s efforts extended, as she proposed to teach a yearbook course as well. In it, the students design the yearbook along with writing the school newspaper.
When offered the opportunity to return to the history department to be part of Norse By God, she was “honored and excited,” describing to me memories of Dr. Deal’s whaling presentations and attending Viking feasts. Along with designing the program’s logo, Thomspon is planning future projects that include drawing a portrait of Elizabeth de Burgh. “I am really proud to be a part of this project, to make the history of the distant past more accessible to modern people and bring a vision of the past to life,” she said. She also accepts commissions for portraits, such as these below (the horses at a local barn (Strawberry belongs to Laura Michele Diener). You can follow Thompson’s work on her Instagram Kathryn Thompson (@_walkingonthestars_) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook page Facebook and her Etsy page KathrynThompsonArt – Etsy
