Alison P. O’Reilly, RCA 2019

Biography

Alison P. O'Reilly (b. 1982, Ottawa, ON, Canada), also known as Studio Ali O, is a visual artist based in East London. Primarily a painter, Alison extends her artistic practice across multiple platforms, including sculpture and installation. Her work has been featured in various group exhibitions across the UK, including the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) 171st Annual Open Exhibition in Bristol and the upcoming Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) Annual Open.

Alison's paintings are in both private and corporate collections within the UK and Canada, including a commercial commission for a client at the Shard London Bridge. She holds an MA and MSc from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, where she researched universal aesthetics and was a joint recipient of the Grantham Institute and the RCA Grantham Art Prize in 2018.

A dedicated member of the Bow Arts community, Alison maintains a studio with the organisation. In addition to her artistic practice, she is deeply committed to community engagement, volunteering as a workshop facilitator for the UK charity Waythrough.

For weekly updates on her work see her Instagram @Studio_AliO

Artist Statement

I am intrigued by the visual impact of colour and composition, as well as the hidden strategies that breathe life into a work of art.

My practice intertwines two contrasting approaches. I explore seductive colour palettes and meticulously balanced compositions, incorporating established methods and honouring traditional techniques. Simultaneously, my work resonates with the Neo-Expressionist movement of the 1970s and '80s, embracing a raw energy and spontaneity through a playful yet tense presentation of objects and ideas.

I work with oil, acrylic, and enamel on collaged or distressed surfaces, beginning each piece with a compositional strategy and personal narrative. Through a process of adding and removing, I develop a weathered, architectural quality, where the interplay of textures and ideas reflects a dialogue between past and present.