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Dominic Thian

  • Born 1996 in Singapore

 

Dominic Thian is a young Singapore artist who specialises in still life, portrait and landscape paintings. Combining classic figurative techniques with a modern sensibility, he creates realistic and intricate depictions of scenes and objects that move the viewer with a profound, timeless beauty.

 

Dominic was drawn to the arts since young and had spent much of his spare time drawing and cultivating his interest in the discipline. In 2018, after majoring for a year in Architecture at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Dominic decided to follow his passion for painting and make the bold decision to cease his studies at the university. He subsequently travelled to the United States to enrol at the Grand Central Atelier (GCA), New York. There he studied under internationally-acclaimed artist Colleen Barry and other distinguished contemporary New York City artists, and underwent an intensive curriculum of drawing and painting the figure from life. He also spent his time between classes visiting the rich and vast collections of New England museums, studying and learning from the numerous Old Master paintings held outside of Asia.

 

After completing his training at the renowned American art institution in 2020, Dominic returned to Singapore and began to anchor himself at the forefront of Singapore’s figure drawing scene. Apart from painting full-time, he is active as an art teacher and has organised workshops and community-driven figure and portrait drawing sessions.

 

In 2022, Dominic was a Finalist in the 16th ARC International Salon Competition. In the same year, his self portrait painting was shortlisted as part of an international selection of works chosen by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ Annual Exhibition in honour of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Most recently, his painting was awarded ‘Best in Show’ in the 2023 Small Matter Art Prize.

Education

2019-20  Painting Year, Grand Central Atelier, New York City, USA

2018-19  Drawing Year, Grand Central Atelier, New York City, USA

2017-18  School of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Awards

2023  Best in Show, Small Matter Art Prize, Singapore

2022  Finalist at the 16th International Art Renewal Center Salon Competition 

2019  GCA Scholarship for Excellence in Structural Drawing

2018-19  Recipient of the David S. Boger Patron Scholarship Fund
 

Solo Exhibitions

2023 Anthologies Unearthed: Still Lifes by Dominic Thian, AC43 Gallery, Singapore

Exhibitions

2023  Beyond and Back, The Arts House, Singapore
          Small Matter, May
a Gallery, Singapore

2022  Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art Galleries Association of Singapore, Singapore

          Drawings From Life, Salmagundi Club NYC, United States
          Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries London, United Kingdom

2021  Dominic Thian: An Introduction, AC43 Gallery, Singapore

2019  In Situ: Up & Coming Artists from the GCA, USA

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