James Bland is an English figurative artist born in Grimsby who now lives and works in Kent. He exhibits frequently in fine art galleries and major art fairs in London.He holds an MA in Fine Art from Canterbury Christ Church University and has travelled extensively in Italy where he lived between 2005 and 2006. In 2007 he received the Janet Konstam Travel Award for travel in Italy and was made artist in residence at the Centro Verrocchio art school in Tuscany.He was the 1st prize winner of the The Winsor & Newton Oil Painters Awards at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 2013. In January 2015, he was elected a member of the New English Art Club, a London-based exhibiting society, based at the Mall Galleries.

James Bland’s oil paintings are characterised by his depictions of light, unconventional colour harmonies, and storytelling. His inspirations range from dreams, literature, history, to cinema and admirations of artists such as Giotto, Klee, Kossoff, and De Chirico. When reflecting on his work James says:

“My work incorporates diverse approaches to style and subject but begins always in drawing and painting from life. My aim is to find an image that resonates through simplicity of colour and form. Though some of my paintings are done relatively quickly, most take a long time and change a lot in the process. They might be cut down, re-stretched, scraped back or painted over, I like the idea of painting as a way of telling stories and find inspiration in literature as well as visual art.”

James’ paintings are very much underpinned by traditional values of draughtsmanship and colour theory. He produces paintings that would not be out of place in the company of some of the great masters. His self-portraits are autobiographical, while at the same time they inform his constantly evolving painting practice.