530 West 25th Street, New York, NY
Roger Liley, a fine artist from the UK, focuses on capturing the positive inner spirit of his subjects. His work ranges from portraits of celebrities and politicians to family and friends, combining precision with a touch of spontaneity. He finds the extraordinary in the every day through his work.
A graduate of Staffordshire’s esteemed art schools with a first-class honors degree in Graphic Design and Fine Art, Liley creates vibrant portraits and figurative pieces that capture the essence of his subjects.
His process is structured and intuitive - drawing on techniques like the “rule of thirds” and grid-based composition while embracing moments of “uncontrolled chaos” by throwing paint and letting go, allowing each piece to evolve organically.
Inspired by David Hockney’s figurative style and the vibrant cultures of London, California, and New York, Liley combines acrylic, water-mixable oils, and graphite for bold, detailed works.
His art, celebrating the joy of modern life, has been featured in exhibitions like Art San Diego, Red Dot Miami, and Art Expo New York, with notable acquisitions by Soho House.
Portrait New York, 2022
Mixed media on wood panel
24” x 12”
$1750
Limited edition of 10
Prints available: Giclee print on Hahnemühle 308gsm smooth white rag paper, USD 550
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My interest in contemporary portraits began in the 1970s, inspired by the new and exciting work of David Hockney’s figurative and swimming pool pictures, the sun, sea and landscape, so different from my grey English Midlands town.
My subjects are modern life and places. Portraits in a contemporary setting. I love working on a large scale. I seek to capture the positive inner spirit of my subjects, celebrities, politicians, family, and friends and the joy, hope and the color of life and existence.
Motivated by the vibrant culture of the London art scene in Soho and Fitzrovia, my studio in Lymington on the south coast of England is the fixed point to which I return to develop my work, but the ideas come from a truly international outlook and I frequent New York and California for inspiration. I don’t like to be in one place for too long.
I bring techniques learned as a practicing designer such as: the ‘rule of thirds’, a method of organizing and positioning things on the canvas; adherence to a gridbased system (often frowned upon) but allowing organized freedom—a kind of chaos in a controlled setting.
I want my work to convey total certainty. ‘Likeness’ being so convincing that there can be no doubt who the subject is. Uncertainty would get in the way of meaning. I want viewers to think “Yes, this is how we live now.”
