About the Work
Drawing from his photographs, which he keeps as a “visual diary,” Billy Sullivan presents moments of intimate and simple pleasures in his paintings. Sullivan says that he was highly influenced by his time in Paris and European artists. His deft use of color and space in his still lifes, as well as their vibrancy and spontaneity, is often compared to the compositions of French artists Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard.
About the Artist
Billy Sullivan has been rocking the New York scene since the late 60s, chronicling the flamboyant, colorful bohemian world of the artists, models, movie stars, debutantes, and partiers who have been his friends and muses. He is famous for his paintings, pastels, and photographs that are playfully, but expertly, composed to capture the exuberance and spontaneity of a moment.
“My work is a diary of my life,” Sullivan explains in i-D Magazine. “I went out every night for many, many years, it seemed only natural the two would combine.” His portraits and still lives seem highly personal, and they stand out for their ability to draw the viewer into the atmosphere as participants rather than observers.
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