Colin Thomson was born in London, England and moved to New York in 1955. He attended Lake Forest College, BA, 1971, The New York Studio School, 1972-1975, Skowhegan School of Art, 1974, and Yale University, MFA, 1977. He's been included in multiple group shows and presented nine solo exhibitions in venues including: Plot Lines, 2014, Outlet Gallery, Brooklyn, NY; Local Color, 2011 Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford, Republic of Ireland; 100 Broadway, 2003, New York, NY; Nina Freudenheim Gallery, 1992/1987, Buffalo, NY; Projects Room, David Beitzel Gallery, 1992, New York, NY; Lieberman & Saul Gallery, 1991/1989, New York, NY; Winston Gallery, 1986, Washington, D.C.

He received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1991-1992. Public and corporate collections include Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Centro Culturale, Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Chase Manhattan Bank, Grey Art Gallery, New York University, M & T Bank, National Madison Group, Weatherspoon Art Gallery, and Wilkie, Farr & Gallagher.