Jason Lilley was born in Cornwall in 1966. He studied art in Falmouth and Newcastle before returning to Cornwall to live and paint in 1991. While still a student Jason’s work was featured on the Tyne Tees production “Elements”. Subsequently he was a finalist on the Channel 4 programme “Watercolour Challenge”. Today Jason is predominantly an oil painter and lives and works on a hill overlooking Truro Cathedral.
St Ives, its buildings and rooftops are a regular topic for Jason’s paintings. Although they have a strong aesthetic appeal on their own right, the works often have a deeper meaning, reflecting Jason’s interest in and concerns about the interaction between tourism, the artistic community and local residents. For West Cornwall Perspectives the Oil and Water series depict the historic Porthmeor studios, owned by the Penwith Society of Artists and rented out to local painters but under threat due to disrepair and lack of funding.
Jason’s paintings are exhibited in several galleries across Cornwall and throughout the UK. He has had several one-man shows, notably in the Belgrave Gallery and his paintings are widely collected.