Carmen Alexandria "Allie" Thompson

Carmen Alexandria "Allie" Thompson has joined Heaven's angels to watch over her family and friends. On Jan. 20, 2020, Allie lost her battle with liver failure as her parents, Richard E. and Tammy B. Thompson held her hands surrounded by her brothers, Rett (Dr. Caroline Nardi), Jason (Dawn), and sister Kerry (David). Additional survivors include nephews Zachary and Dylan, nieces Annabella, Amber and Paige along with aunts, uncles, cousins, close friends and her lifelong childhood friends Jamie Atkinson and Dr. Hillary Williams, and Allie's fur babies Cash and Duff. Allie was predeceased by her grandparents J. E. "Gene" and Jeanne Thompson and Leon and Claudia Beaton. Growing up in Little Rock, she was involved in soccer, basketball, dance, piano, cotillion and youth softball at Jr. Deputy. She lettered four years in fastpitch softball as a pitcher and infielder at LR Central High. Allie's love of art began at a young age being taught by both grandmothers and a neighborhood friend, Susan Tillemans. She loved her high school and college art teachers and they helped her blossom as an artist with awards from her best artist in the 3rd grade at Forest Park elementary going on to win the Arkansas Young Artists Association top award as a senior in 2008. Allie went to Governors School at Hendrix College and liked it so well she decided to make it her college home. She graduated from Hendrix in 2012 with honors (BA). She went on to Buenos Aires, Argentina for a year to teach English, having minored in Spanish while at Hendrix. Upon her return to Arkansas, she had exhibitions at galleries all over Little Rock including the Thea Foundation and Butler Center. She was asked to design a magazine cover for a new magazine in Northwest Arkansas, Idle Class, the front cover of the AR Dem Gaz Style Section, and was also commissioned to create custom art work for many of her followers. She was an adjunct professor of Drawing at Hendrix and taught Printmaking at the Arkansas Arts Center. Currently, there is a marquee display featuring one of her best works, the "Heart of Arkansas", on the front of the temporary Arts Center facilities on Cantrell Road and Riverfront Drive. Prior to her passing, Allie had been awarded a full scholarship as a Graduate Student at the UofA Fayetteville Walton School of Arts, Master of Fine Arts program having secured one of 10 openings into the program. She had just completed her first semester as a student and teaching assistant. Her mixed media art was creative, inspiring, mysterious, intuitive and chaotic, but always intelligently inquisitive and interesting. Her personality was sparkling, humorous, loving, friendly, inclusive, tender, caring and compassionate. She meant so much to so many. The physical world is missing a wonderful human being, but her spirit will live on and fill our hearts forever. Special thanks to UAMS medical ICU staff, PHUMC Argue SS class, Lauren Whitmore, everyone's prayers and letters and especially to our best friends, Mike and Anne Fuller, for their love and support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: arkansasartscenter.org/tribute; hendrix.edu/givenow/; warmhearts.org/memorial-gifts (Pul. Co. humane society). A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, February 1, 2020 at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church (4823 Woodlawn Dr, Little Rock, Ark. 72205) where a reception will immediately follow the service. The arrangements are entrusted to Ruebel Funeral Home. www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.