Artwork by Joshua Lilly

Joshua Lilly

Chicago Based Artist

Do What Makes You Happy

Artist Statement



Joshua Lilly's aim in his creations are to convey the full spectrum of the human experience. To reveal the raw emotions and thoughts that all of us are capable of feeling. To remind us that we are all one and interconnected.

Lilly's walks the border on the line of Neo-Expressionism and Surrealism. Truthfully, he does not know where his art lies in the art world. Using faces and objects to tell a story that shows human vehemence. Lilly has always has an obsession with eyes, which can be seen clearly in his work. Seeing eyes and faces in everything he sees, it's almost impossible not to include an eye or two.

By using everything from vibrant acrylics to dark scribbles, Lilly ensures his work can display the full spectrum of human emotion. Believing it is necessary to be dynamite with his techniques and materials to capture what it means to be a human being, which is a broad range of feelings and experiences that only artwork can replicate.

Lilly's art journey started just like all of us, with crayons and markers. However, he just never stopped. His grandfather would often challenge him to replicate family pictures. Which only sharpened his skills and love for delicate details and creating perfect values. Primarily focusing on realism with use of graphite in high school.

Even into his adult years Lilly would always be doodling away in college courses. Developing and evolving his artistic expression in hidden sketchbooks. With no pressure of an audience or school grades, he veered off the desire to create realistic work.

He didn't feel a passion in the 'real world'. He never felt he belonged anywhere so he often feel into holes of feeling lost. Always using art as an escape from reality to find peace and solitude, just as he did as a child.

Using his artwork as a form of therapy, Lilly using raw emotion to produce work that displays true emotion. Having struggles with mental illness over the years, his work display darker and nightmarish suggestions. Which he sees as an added benefit to his art, ensuring his audience does not feel alone in such feelings.

Lilly's work are just bits and pieces of his soul.

Joshua Lilly's aim in his creations are to convey the full spectrum of the human experience. To reveal the raw emotions and thoughts that all of us are capable of feeling. To remind us that we are all one and interconnected.

Lilly's walks the border on the line of Neo-Expressionism and Surrealism. Truthfully, he does not know where his art lies in the art world. Using faces and objects to tell a story that shows human vehemence. Lilly has always has an obsession with eyes, which can be seen clearly in his work. Seeing eyes and faces in everything he sees, it's almost impossible not to include an eye or two.

By using everything from vibrant acrylics to dark scribbles, Lilly ensures his work can display the full spectrum of human emotion. Believing it is necessary to be dynamite with his techniques and materials to capture what it means to be a human being, which is a broad range of feelings and experiences that only artwork can replicate.

Lilly's art journey started just like all of us, with crayons and markers. However, he just never stopped. His grandfather would often challenge him to replicate family pictures. Which only sharpened his skills and love for delicate details and creating perfect values. Primarily focusing on realism with use of graphite in high school.

Even into his adult years Lilly would always be doodling away in college courses. Developing and evolving his artistic expression in hidden sketchbooks. With no pressure of an audience or school grades, he veered off the desire to create realistic work.

He didn't feel a passion in the 'real world'. He never felt he belonged anywhere so he often feel into holes of feeling lost. Always using art as an escape from reality to find peace and solitude, just as he did as a child.

Using his artwork as a form of therapy, Lilly using raw emotion to produce work that displays true emotion. Having struggles with mental illness over the years, his work display darker and nightmarish suggestions. Which he sees as an added benefit to his art, ensuring his audience does not feel alone in such feelings.

Lilly's work are just bits and pieces of his soul.

You can Find My Work at these Upcoming EVENTS

Follow Joshua Lilly

-

Instagram @JoshuaLilly_Art

TikTok @JoshuaLilly_Art

-

Shop Original Art on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JoshuaLillyArt

Get In Touch