ARTIST BIO
Patrick Riley is a Kentucky-based artist & photographer. His oil paintings embrace abundant layers of paint applied mostly through the use of a palette knife in an impasto-type style. He often uses pigments from natural elements of the Earth in his paint to pay his respect to nature. Patrick’s distinctive style combines both symmetry and chaos. His use of bold and vivid colors arranged throughout the painting in heavy patterns form a breathtaking composition.
Patrick grew up painting and drawing with a distinguishing talent for capturing objects from a unique perspective. “I want the observer to view it as if they are seeing the subject matter for the first time,” Riley explains. “I feel that you need to believe before you can see, and believing that this particular dreamlike world exists allows me to see it and paint it,” he adds.
Being an admirer of poetry and a poet himself, Patrick likes to incorporate the use of poems & prose into his artwork. “The painting has so much more to say,” he states. “I don’t feel like the story ends when the last drop of paint hits the canvas.” With this being the case, most of Riley’s work also consist of an analogous story that belongs to each piece, usually inscribed onto the back of the canvas.
Having lived across the United States, from the desert to the mountains, from the coastline and now the bluegrass of Kentucky, Patrick integrates his passion and love for the earth into each painting, photograph, or poem. His photography is continually used by prominent companies for various marketing purposes, while his artwork is included in numerous private art collections throughout the country.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Being an individual that doesn’t necessarily conform to rules or guidelines-- I choose to bring this same philosophy into my art. While I typically paint in a post-impressionist style, I occasionally change the process in order to obtain the results that I want . This open-minded approach allows me the flexibility to express myself on a much greater level without any confinements. Once a person is able to free their mind of any preconceived idea of what is 'correct', then their creative potential is limitless.
I enjoy working with oil paint because of the never-ending possibilities, but I also have a love for watercolors and photography. The subject matter, be it flowers, trees, landscapes or waterscapes has the final say in the matter though. With my art, it’s a poetic interpretation of nature, rather than an exact photographic likeness. At this point, the world itself becomes the true artist.
When an object speaks to me, I feel the need to recreate it in my own way. For this reason, I spurn the idea of commissions because I’d lose that creative force that I desperately need. I have, and do exhibit my artwork in galleries. I strongly oppose the concept of awards, competitions, and other accolades, or more particularly, those that cause an artist to lose their way to appease others. There's something very special about art in its rawest form. Something born and created from the heart that requires no validity from others. Art that is unbroken from meaningless criticism. I've chosen to take this path with my paintings and photography. The creation of the art, and the way the audience or new owner embraces and appreciates my art is the only thing that’s important to me. When my artwork/poetry truly moves someone, sometimes to tears, then I know I’ve done good work. I create to create— end of story.
-Patrick
