Justin Cole

Justin Cole (b. 1995) is a visual artist working primarily in painting and drawing. He received his BFA from College for Creative Studies where he studied Illustration. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

Cole creates paintings that are emotionally stimulating rather than stringently narrative. His work touches on the human condition, levels of consciousness, and death. He illustrates these themes through a unique combination of classical realism and abstract expressionism.

Restraint and intentionality are at the core of Cole’s work. His paintings almost exclusively focus on one subject, keeping the narrative contained. The palette is refined, and the composition is simple yet effective. There are no distracting elements — the most intriguing components are uncovered within the subtleties. The more you study the paintings, the more the dimension expands.

“My work stems from the principle of what I think paintings should be: visually interesting, appealing, and beautiful for beauty’s sake. I combine the lifelike realism of classical paintings with the palette, composition, and emotional charge of an abstract painting. The result is an amalgamation of academic refinement and creative experimentation.”