“Nathan James Addley puts the ethereal into the everyday. His work celebrates the dignity, resilience, and beauty of Black American life. His paintings blend realism and abstraction, transforming everyday subjects into immersive worlds teeming with color and plant life, where every choice of environment, clothing, and pose tells a story.
Growing up, Addley was surrounded by negative portrayals of Black people and urban life. While every community carries stereotypes, the representations of Black people in media were often overwhelmingly negative, shaping a distorted narrative. His art seeks to challenge and shift that narrative, uplifting Black individuals with grace, poise, and dignity. By depicting his subjects in ordinary moments simply existing; he emphasizes that their presence alone is powerful, affirming, and worthy of recognition.
Addley begins with a photographic reference of a singular Black subject and digitally constructs spaces where flora and color create a vibrant, otherworldly atmosphere. Then references that edited image when creating the work of art through traditional means. Skin tones are built with complementary colors: burnt sienna provides a neutral foundation while Blue Lagoon teal highlights capture reflected light, producing figures that feel luminous and alive.
The recurring yellow skies in his recent work emerge from his fascination with the luminous, colorful nature of the world, a beauty often overlooked or underrated in how Black life is represented. By situating his subjects beneath these radiant atmospheres, Addley reclaims and elevates both nature and identity, linking the vibrancy of the environment to the dignity of the figure.
Central to his practice is a deliberate use of brushwork. Stroke thickness, direction, and layering emphasize key moments, guiding the viewer’s gaze while creating depth and dimensionality. Each canvas balances technical mastery with emotional resonance, honoring individuality and human complexity.
Through his work, Addley invites viewers to witness the grace, poise, and stories of Black Americans people across all walks of life. He transforms ordinary moments into powerful acts of recognition, empathy, and affirmation, a vision of Black American dignity that resists erasure and affirms the fullness of existence.
Addley is currently based in Atlanta GA, where he is pursuing his Masters at SCAD.”