Kyle Cartlidge

Kyle's work explores themes of human nature through the act of painting. As a contemporary painter, he is drawn to traditional painting methods, working primarily with acrylics and oils on canvas. In his most recent body of work, Kyle delves into ideas of portraiture and identity. The figures he paints are drawn from both lived and observed experiences, though at times they are entirely imagined, sparked by an overheard conversation, a fleeting expression, or a lyric from a song. These figures are often distorted, drawing inspiration from surrealism, cubism, and the Dutch masters. The bodies are frequently tattooed or marked in suggestive ways, hinting at layers of personal history, inner life, or cultural narrative. Through this visual language, Kyle seeks to explore the complexities of the self, perception, and the masks people wear.