Taking inspiration from artists Robert Crumb, Glenn Brown and Robert Williams, Robert Oxley’s Instinct works have a psychedelic feel and take natural history painting in a new direction, using zig-zag edges and bold paint drips. For many years Robert’s work was characterised by a photo-realistic style, drawing on diverse references and inspiration ranging from wildlife to American lowbrow pop surrealism. However, for this new collection, he felt compelled to push wildlife art and his own artistic abilities in a new direction. Inspired by his own eclectic taste in music, this body of work fuses his inimitable style with influences from bands including Pearl Jam, Metallica and Slipknot. Each of his dazzling pieces illustrates his lifelong passion for animals. At a first glance, the technique looks effortless but, on closer inspection, every brushstroke is considered and painted meticulously. “When I created this body of work I wanted to take natural history painting in a new direction. I had been committed to natural history painting for 20 years and needed to find my own voice in a genre which is all technique and little imagination. My work is in part about my history in wildlife art and then deconstructing it – washing it away to reveal another way of conveying wildlife for myself.” – ROBERT OXLEY
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker