Birmingham Life

Reuben Colley has been painting his home town of Birmingham for over 20 years, capturing on canvas the ever-changing landscape of this vibrant city. His paintings will become part of our heritage as a record of the past for future generations to enjoy. 

'Birmingham Life' features iconic landmarks both old and new as well as recognisable restaurants.  This collection of 19 signed limited editions is one of the most powerful to date from Birmingham's number one artist.

Writing about this collection Reuben says -

Our ever-evolving home city provides an endless renewable source of inspiration for my paintings. New developments, new businesses and new people continue to bring an energy to the city. After painting Birmingham for over 20 years you might think that I would have run out of subjects to paint by now, but as you can see this most definitely is not the case. Subjects both old and new combine beautifully in this collection. 

Skate Park

The reflection of a stand of trees shimmers on the surface of a small body of water.  The kind of scene which has inspired landscape artists since the 17^th century.  But these are 21^st century trees, and this is a profoundly modern puddle. To find inspiration for this new collection Reuben Colley has been standing in a skateboard park in the rain. Every element of the scene becomes grist to the mill: concave slopes of concrete; splashes of colour courtesy of local graffiti artists; surfaces of slick rainwater; fences with their complex grid patterns.

Skate Park was a significant collection of paintings exhibited at Colley Ison Gallery in September 2022. 

Five images have been specially selected and produced as signed limited editions of just 9 copies.

City Living

Reuben Colley has been painting Birmingham City Centre for 20 years.

Since his first exhibition Impressions of Birmingham, 2001, the city has undergone a metamorphosis, from the redevelopment of the Bullring, the rotunda receiving a facelift, to our shiny new Grand Central.  Reuben has captured it all in his oil paintings. 

City Living is a hand picked selection of limited editions from two sold out exhibitions of original paintings. 

My Birmingham

My Birmingham is a collection of paintings which capture significant places from Reuben Colley’s upbringing in the city. Through a sentimental eye, Colley captures beauty in unexpected places, from derelict pubs to the gritty underside of the Aston Expressway. This is a very personal and nostalgic collection. One of the focal points of the collection, a painting called ‘NRG’, was featured in an exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in 2015 called ‘Change in the Inner City’.  All 11 original paintings now hang in private collections.

'The Light At The End Of The Tunnel' was the winner of Best Painting at the 2012 West Midlands Open.

Impressions of London

In 2010 Reuben Colley painted a collection of paintings of London which were exhibited at Hay Hill Gallery, Cork Street, Mayfair.
With this collection Colley found new confidence and maturity, which are evident in his bold and expressive brushwork. This unique collection captures all of the energy of the capital, as well as its seasonal beauty.
Over thirty paintings from the collection have been sold.  Five of Colley’s favourites have now been reproduced as signed limited editions.

Sutton Coldfield

Throughout his career, Reuben Colley has continually been drawn to the urban landscape, the built environment in which most of us spend our lives. He has now made Sutton Coldfield his home, and in this collection he has turned his attention to Sutton town centre. Officially part of Birmingham since 1974, the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield has retained its distinctive identity, and still feels like a village. There is a sense of stillness about these paintings which gives them a timeless quality. Reuben Colley captures perfectly the diffused light of an overcast rainy day. Almost entirely empty of people, these streets and shopping centres have an expectant air, as though they are waiting patiently for something to happen.

New York

In 2008 Reuben Colley visited New York.   He arrived during a shower of rain, and as soon as he stepped out of his cab he was inspired to capture the Big Apple in a timeless series of paintings. Colley worked closely with the UK’s leading  printmaker to produce silkscreen prints of two of the paintings.  Eighty-five individual screens, one for each colour, were required to reproduce the images, and the process took six months.  Reuben Colley is proud to have worked with a traditional printmaker to create these stunning editions.

Cape Cod

In 2014 Reuben Colley was invited to Cape Cod in South Eastern Massachusetts by a private collector who wished to commission a painting.
In Cape Cod, Colley discovered an endless source of inspiration.  On his return to the studio, he created a series of paintings capturing the bright blue skies, expansive beaches and colonial-style houses which epitomised the region. Four paintings from the collection are now available as signed limited edition prints.

Coney Island

Coney Island has been a holiday resort since the 1830s, when new transport links and hotels made it an ideal spot for New Yorkers to take a break from the city. Coney Island's first carousel and amusement rides were built in 1876. By the early 20th century, Coney Island was America's largest amusement area. After the second world war the area declined in popularity and for many years it was a battle ground for developers. Today, Coney Island still hosts a range of independent attractions. Three of its rides are listed on the US National Register of Historical Places.

Reuben Colley has captured aspects of Coney Island out of season, when the deserted amusements parks have a unique atmosphere.
These five images which feature some of Coney Island's iconic landmarks including 'The Cyclone' and 'Nathans Famous' are limited editions of just 20 copies.

Woodland

This collection captures the unique atmosphere of woodland and the beauty and tranquillity of nature whilst introducing a sense of mystery. Stumps and The Sculpture are from the Remnant Collection which was previewed at Birmingham Museum in October 2017.

By popular demand, these engaging paintings are now available as signed limited editions.

The John Lewis Portfolio

In September 2015 Reuben Colley was commissioned by the John Lewis Partnership to produce five large-scale paintings of Birmingham.  These paintings now hang in the restaurant of the landmark store in Birmingham’s Grand Central. 

For John Lewis, Colley has chosen aspects of Birmingham which many of its inhabitants take for granted: busy shopping streets on a rainy day, the historic canal network, and the city skyline at dusk. These images are rich in atmosphere, and celebrate the meeting of the old and the new in Birmingham's ever-changing city centre.

This unique collectors item is an edition of 50, issued with a certificate of authenticity the five limited editions are presented in a beautiful hand made linen portfolio, each image is personally signed and numbered by Reuben Colley.

Availability is limited.

The Venetian Portfolio

Venice is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world.
Located in the Veneto region of north eastern Italy, it is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea.

This unique location has been inspiring writers and artists for centuries. Reuben Colley captures the atmosphere of Venice perfectly in these stunning images. Ancient architecture is reflected in the shimmering canals and rain-soaked piazzas, and the city's iconic gondolas evoke the prospect of a magical journey. 

These 10 limited editions are hand numbered and signed by Reuben and are presented in a beautiful handmade linen portfolio and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
This collector's item is an exclusive edition of just 25 copies so availability is limited.

 

Football

In 2011, a loyal supporter of Aston Villa Football Club commissioned Reuben Colley to paint the Aston Villa ground.  In  2016, Colley was commissioned by a West Bromwich Albion supporter to paint the Hawthorns and a Birmingham City Football supporter to paint St. Andrews. For each commission, Colley made several visits to the ground on match days so that he could mingle with the fans and soak up the atmosphere. These images have been made into  beautiful limited edition prints of just 50 copies, and would make ideal presents for devoted Villa, Albion and Birmingham City supporters.