Orange Study, Circa 2020

CJ Pyle  

Ink and ballpoint pen on found paper. C.J. Pyle (born 1956) lives and works in Richmond, Indiana. Coming from a working-class background, he began drawing at a very young age, encouraged by his mother, and taught himself using books.

While pursuing a career as a drummer in local rock bands, he drew relentlessly, using his downtime to perfect his technique. Around the year 2000, he reached a decisive turning point, developing his characteristic portraits and finding a fully realized artistic path.

Fascinated by the art of portraiture, Pyle creates anthropomorphic figures with diverse personalities, oscillating between introspection and quirky expressiveness. He works with ballpoint pen and pencil on recycled materials, particularly the backs of 1980s vinyl record sleeves, appreciating both their texture and historical significance. After more than thirty years of practice, he has forged a unique visual language based on repetitive gestures and the constant exploration of his own limits. His two-tone portraits, at once sober and expressive, are now the trademark of his work.

"I like creating portraits in two colors; I don't really know why, it's instinctive. Even as a child, I focused on drawing faces. I also find it much more stimulating to create an image with a limited palette than with a multitude of colors."