Jo Quigley
Introduction to Jo Quigley Art
Jo Quigley art captivates with its intricate tapestries of urban life, where sun-dappled figures weave through London’s storied streets, each brushstroke a portal to the city’s unspoken narratives. Distinctively, her practice draws from covert sketching sessions amid the throng of Trafalgar Square, where she captures the fleeting choreography of commuters and tourists—pigeons scattering like confetti underfoot—as raw material for layered compositions that pulse with seasonal light and human connection, transforming everyday vignettes into timeless odes to metropolitan resilience.
Working predominantly in acrylics for their swift adaptability, Jo Quigley artwork employs bold shadows and luminous skies to orchestrate complex scenes, blending architectural grandeur with the subtle drama of passers-by. Her limited edition prints and original paintings evoke the hazy warmth of apricot dawns over the Thames or azure twilights enveloping South Bank strollers, inviting collectors to linger on hidden details: a child’s uplifted gaze, an elderly couple’s shared glance, or angular branches framing fleeting joy. Influenced by the impressionistic crowds of Pissarro, the solitary introspection of Hopper, and the matchstick multitudes of Lowry, her oeuvre reimagines these masters through a contemporary lens, infusing Jo Quigley prints with wry affection for the urban soul.
From her Surrey studio, mere miles from the capital’s hum, Jo Quigley’s journey reflects a harmonious blend of formal training and instinctive observation, where global travels and local wanderings fuel an unyielding exploration of light’s alchemy on canvas. Her cityscape art not only adorns homes with evocative elegance but also whispers of the profound poetry in prosaic moments, proving how a single shadow can illuminate the heart of a bustling world.
Jo Quigley Biography
Born: United Kingdom (specific date and place not publicly detailed)
Jo Quigley’s affinity for art emerged in her early years, nurtured through formal education that laid the foundation for her distinctive style. She pursued a Bachelor of Arts at Winchester School of Art, immersing herself in foundational techniques and creative experimentation. Building on this, she graduated in 1996 with a Master of Arts in Applied Fine Art from Kingston University, where her focus on innovative applications of painting honed her ability to craft ambitious, narrative-driven works.
Transitioning from academia to professional practice, Jo Quigley balanced her burgeoning career with teaching, serving as an art tutor for many years. This role not only sharpened her technical prowess but also deepened her appreciation for storytelling through visual media, as she guided students in capturing life’s nuances. Her pedagogical experience extended to writing, with articles on artistic processes published in esteemed periodicals such as The Artist magazine, offering insights into her evolving methods and inspirations.
By the mid-2000s, Jo Quigley committed fully to her studio practice, relocating to a serene workspace near Woking in Surrey—strategically positioned for effortless forays into London’s vibrant districts. Here, amid the proximity to urban energy, she developed her signature approach: discreet photographic and sketching expeditions to bustling hubs like the South Bank and Trafalgar Square. These outings, often on crisp winter mornings, yield source material for her intricate compositions, where climatic shifts—from fleeting sunbeams to lengthening shadows—infuse her canvases with atmospheric depth and temporal rhythm.
Jo Quigley’s oeuvre has steadily expanded to encompass wildlife studies alongside her urban explorations, reflecting a dual fascination with natural grace and human dynamism. Her technique favours acrylics for their versatility in layering translucent glazes over bold underpainting, allowing rapid adjustments to mimic the ephemerality of light. Seasonal variations play a pivotal role; autumnal golds or springtime azures filter through her scenes, while angular motifs—such as reaching branches or receding pavements—guide the eye toward intimate human interactions, underscoring themes of transience and togetherness.
Today, based in Surrey, Jo Quigley continues to exhibit prolifically, her work a testament to disciplined observation and imaginative synthesis. Her daily ritual of city immersion sustains a practice that remains ever-evolving, blending the rigours of her academic roots with the spontaneity of lived experience to create art that resonates with quiet profundity.
Jo Quigley Artistic Style and Influences
Jo Quigley’s artistic style is defined by its ambitious scale and layered complexity, where contemporary cityscapes unfold like visual novels teeming with incidental characters. Her paintings and prints masterfully harness light and shadow to sculpt depth, employing long, dramatic casts that accentuate the interplay between architecture and humanity. This results in Jo Quigley artwork that rewards prolonged viewing, revealing subtle stories within the crowd: a momentary laugh, a contemplative pause, or the synchronicity of strangers in motion.
Key influences include Camille Pissarro’s impressionistic vivacity, Edward Hopper’s evocative isolation amid the everyday, and L.S. Lowry’s stylised depictions of industrial throngs. Yet Jo Quigley adapts these with a modern twist, introducing explicit light sources and environmental flux to her densely populated scenes—unlike Lowry’s often shadowless tableaux—while echoing Hopper’s narrative tension through solitary figures amid urban flux. Her recent pivot toward London-centric themes amplifies this, capturing the capital’s cultural mosaic through limited edition prints that blend architectural iconography with the warmth of human scale.
Jo Quigley Achievements and Exhibitions
Jo Quigley’s contributions to contemporary British art are marked by consistent recognition and widespread exhibition. Her accolades include shortlistings for the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year in 2011, Surrey Artist of the Year in 2011, and Artist and Illustrators Artist of the Year in 2013, 2014, and 2023. She has also secured multiple ‘Best Landscape’ honours, such as at the Farnham Art Society Annual Exhibition in 2017, alongside various prizes for her innovative urban and wildlife interpretations.
- Regular participation in prestigious art fairs, including The Affordable Art Fair with The Art Agency and The London Art Fair, showcasing Jo Quigley prints and originals to international audiences
- Solo exhibition at The Dart Gallery in Dartmouth, highlighting her evolving London collections and narrative cityscapes
- Appearances at Surrey Contemporary Art Fairs, where her limited edition artworks have garnered acclaim for their engaging complexity and luminous palettes
- Ongoing representation in galleries nationwide, with Jo Quigley art available as affordable prints and framed pieces, fostering a dedicated collector base through 2025
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