statement / about
View of Turano Lake in the Turano Valley of the Sabina Region of Italy.
Much of my imagery is inspired by this Valley.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Painting, for me, is an infinitely seductive exchange between truth and illusion. In my work, the truth lies in the paint itself—its textures, colors, and presence on the surface—while the illusion is found in the images that emerge. My most successful paintings are those where illusion and truth become inseparable, where the process of creating the image is as vital as the image itself.
The primary inspiration for my paintings is drawn from elements of the landscape—mountains, lakes, shorelines, and skies. I use these forms as a point of reference because they offer a vast spectrum of visual possibilities. At the same time, I am deeply engaged with the physical picture plane and explore ways to manipulate perceptions of shape versus form, depth versus flatness.
Ultimately, I aim to create images that are illusory and compelling, with compositions that draw the viewer in and surfaces that invite a tactile response. This approach demands a spontaneous working process, one that relies on intuition and immersion rather than premeditated outcomes. Through this process, I am encouraging viewers to question what they see while feeling a sense of both intrigue and sensory satisfaction.
BIO
Born 1977 in Wareham, MA.
In 1999 Riley received BFA in Painting from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2004 he received an MFA in Sculpture from the University of Pennsylvania.
His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Northeast including; Danese/Corey in New York City, TSA NY in Brooklyn, NY, Gallery 263 in Cambridge, MA, Lamont Gallery in Exeter, NH, Arthur Ross Gallery in Philadelphia, PA, The Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy, NY, and several others.
He has received grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and the Berkshire Taconic Foundation. Riley has been an artist in residence at the Joan Mitchell Center, Yaddo, and the Vermont Studio Center.
Riley currently lives and works in Washington DC and maintains a studio in Colle di Tora, in Italy's Turano Valley.