Neil Miley Biography

Neil is a realist painter though not a follower of photo realism. His topics tend to be studies in relationships, ranging from two people to large crowds. He is very adaptable and will paint almost anything as long as he finds something redeeming in the subject. His work is largely inspired by artists such as Le Page, Waterhouse, Draper, though with less sentiment and a little more edge.

His work has been selected for exhibition at the Stanthorpe, St George, Manning, Mortimore, Port Stphens Art Prizes in 2009, 2010.

He is a member of the National Association of Visual Artists and the Portrait Society of America.

Neil has studied at the National Art School, Julian Ashton Art School, TAFE, East Sydney Evening College. Courses undertaken include Drawing, Portraiture, Life Drawing, Oil Painting Techniques and Advanced Oil Painting Techniques. The teaching techniques experienced have varied from traditional atelier to contemporary.

Each year he exhibits at least four or five times in group and solo exhibitions, in 2005 he exhibited in nineteen group shows. In 2006, 2007 he managed International New Symbolist exhibitions at the TAP Gallery, as well as his own group and solo exhibitions.

Neil has established a pattern of annual study tours in Europe. After an initial six month tour through Western Europe in the mid 1980s he has been unable to return until recently. In 2007 he visited the Peloponnese and Pelion in pursuit of ancient history subjects. In 2009 he spent two months in the Netherlands and France expanding his knowledge of Western Art.

In 2010 he spent two months in North Eastern France, concentrating on painting in the home of the Le Page school. As a result of this tour Neil is working to have an exhibition in Champagne and Burgundy in 2011.

He is currently represented by Upside Down Inside Out Gallery, London Art, the Port Stephens Art Centre and SOAG Gallery, as well as being an occasional exhibitor at the TAP Gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney. He is a member of the National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA) and the Port Stephens Art Centre. Neil’s works are in private collections in France, Switzerland, Denmark and Australia.

Artist's Statement

Culturally Neil’s work reflects the diverse views of modern society but at the same time draws on historical sources to show that much of the assumed broadening of attitudes has always been with us. His work can be seen as a questioning of the value of diversity when it does nothing but impose a more complex and confining set of limits. On a technical level his work uses modern materials to produce outcomes that at first glance appear contained within late 19th century constraints. The materials used are as important to him as the subject matter represented by his paintings. He is not inspired by Modernism or Post Modernism and this is reflected in his effort to produce works that are essentially Naturalist.