Jody Thompson, was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. There was never a time in his life that he didn’t create art, his first oil painting of a horse at age five was truly the beginning of his life long art journey. At the age of twenty one, he moved to New York City to study watercolor at the Art Students League under the late Mario Cooper.
He then studied and worked for renowned artist Daniel Greene in North Salem, New York at Greene's private studio, Studio Hill Farm, 1986 through 1987. With this opportunity of a lifetime, Jody switched to oil painting under Dan’s direction, changing his life and art forever. Greene became the most important mentor of his life, not only for the inspiration he received but also for giving him the tools and discipline to be a painter.
Jody and his wife, artist Pat Thompson, on the advise of artist Albert Handell, spent a summer studying with Ted Seth Jacobs at L'Ecole Albert Defois in France. Jacobs would impact their art just as he has for so many painters working in realism.
In the years to come, still life subjects became the focus of his art. He collects objects, some with meaning and some because of their patina or esthetics, in order to create narratives to express his hopes, dreams, sorrows and happiness, giving him a canvas to deal with and put these things away in his paintings.
In the Fall of 2001, Jody and his wife Pat founded SouthGate Studio in The Factory at Franklin, a historic renovated stove factory in Franklin Tennessee. They felt that the area lacked a place of learning in order to provide art instruction for students of any skill level, passing along the traditional style of painting that they were so fortunate to receive themselves.
They live and maintain their private studios at SouthGate Studio Farm, on eleven acres in the historic town of Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville.
He is currently represented by Haynes Galleries and SouthGateStudio and Fine Art.