Paul Kirley was born in Massachusetts and moved to California to study at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Art was an integral part of Kirley’s life as a child, as he grew up in a family of artists and designers. The artist discovered both photography and a love of 50’s Abstract Expressionist paintings in his teens.
Kirley’s process begins as a series of digital photographs. Iconic images and stories are identified and cataloged, then selections are composed and combined with found objects yielding a narrative assemblage. The final step in the process includes expressing connections between the representational landscapes and ephemeral dreamscape experiences. Links between the two worlds are created as a series of traditionally painted layers and gestures. The creative process of each piece presents opportunities to live fully immersed in the stories and places of our dreams.
