Born in Massachusetts into a family of
architects, designers, and artists, Paul Kirley began to draw and paint by age
two. Early artistic influences included a family connection to landscapes, buildings,
and a sense of place. Kirley discovered both photography and a love of abstract
expressionist painting in his teens.
In
the fall of 1987, he moved to California to attend the Art Center College of
Design. During this period, he began to develop a collage style of work that
merged his love of photography with a passion for painting. Blending paint and
photographic compositions together on a single picture plane, Kirley integrated
multiple media types, to create motion filled dreamscapes.
Each piece transports the viewer to a
dynamic textural environment. The physicality of paint conveys human emotions
that contrast with the clarity and formality of photographic elements. In
recent years Kirley has returned to the singular media expression of acrylic
paint on canvas. Paper sketches begin his process and graphite sketch lines
often add to his painted compositions. The inspiration of the dream remains a
central theme in his work.
Kirley is an exhibiting member of the
Arts Guild of Sonoma and regularly contributes to the Venice Artwalk.
