“I do not merely want to capture images with my pen; I want to give them life”
- Troy Edwards
ABOUT TROY
Troy Edwards is a London-based self-taught artist who specializes in photorealistic portraits. Each piece of work is created using a technique called stippling; a style of fine line pen work that consists of tens of thousands of microdots of ink.
Troy began drawing from a very early age and found that he had a real love for art and the way he was able to express himself through the use of putting a pen to paper. As the years passed he continued to stay committed to pursuing higher levels of excellence.
As a portrait artist Troy soon came to know and learn body language with a level of scrutiny and appreciation that tends to allude mostly to the things that are being said without words, the human emotions that lay behind the eyes, the twitch in the corner of a lip that spells out a potential smile or a show of discomfort; all the things he likes to call the
“space between”.
Small details, idiosyncrasies, silences, a head full of jumbled up thoughts before arriving at a coherent idea, long protracted stares into the horizon. These are just some of the indicators that reveal the existence of life, these things that we may even perhaps often view as mundane are the things that universally connect us.
These are the things that inspire and truly fill Troy’s body of work making it special and unique.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
“Troy is an absolutely brilliant, talented artist, I really look forward to seeing his career and creativity blossom. Can’t wait to see where he takes it next.”
Akala
Rapper, Historian, Novelist and
founder of the Hiphop Shakespeare company
Image: author unknown
"An incredible artist!
Troy has the talent, passion, and ability to capture and connect with the human spirit on all levels. His compassion and instincts for the humans he depicts are gifts that I am so grateful to him for sharing with me in creating my portrait. Thanks Troy, I’ll always treasure this experience and the beautiful result."
Annabel Bates
Commission client
Retail entrepreneur
Retail entrepreneur
Retail entrepreneur
"The detail that goes into Troy’s work is unbelievable. Through the incredible stippling technique, Troy shows us something distinct in every piece of art. Each work captivates you in a different way, revealing the vulnerability of his themes and his subjects.”
Theo Paphitis
Retail entrepreneur and Tycoon
(o.a. Boux Avenue, London
Graphic Centre), Jury Dragon's Den
Image: author unknown
Image: author unknown
INSPIRATION
Troy describes how most of his artistic influences have been informed by his early life and the world around him. In his own words: “Being raised in the rich cultural hub of 1980’s Brixton endowed me with a kind of privilege, yes money was low, yes police occupation in my neighborhood was plenty and aggressive, yes our parents had to make regular trips to the school to address teachers because of the prejudice we as children were receiving, etc… But with those everyday struggles, there was also another side to our story outside of all of the daily stereotypes of black existence. Life may have been hard but
I, like so many of my generation, lived a reality that was rich in perspective. This is the kind of perspective that comes from the necessity of understanding your place from the margins.”
Troy Edwards’ body of work is heavily inspired by his life, being spoiled with love and education from so many strong black women around him, from his mother to the many extended “aunties and cousins” of his community. And encouraged by the teachings and support of his father who had spent his entire life fighting alongside his peers in the UK’s black freedom struggles.
Growing up as a black man who was raised in the eighties, living in a predominantly West Indian community and working class in the city of London have informed the lens through which Troy creates art, in the narratives of love, intimacy, womanhood, black womanhood, and black humanity that he manifests into his portraiture work.
FEATURES
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2021 Illustration work for Chinasa Uyanna’s children’s book “Obi and his next Curious Adventures”
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2020 Illustration work for Chinasa Uyanna’s children’s book “Obi and his Curious Adventures”
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2018 Sky Portrait Artist of the year. TV show. UK
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2018 “Bodies” group exhibition. Styx. London
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2017 “Focus” group exhibition. The Muse Gallery. London
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2017 NOA(National Open Art) group exhibition. Barge House. London
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2017 “Finest Artists” group exhibition. La Galleria Pall Mall. London
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2016 “You only get one chance to do it twice” solo exhibition. Rag Factory. London
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2014 “The Ruins of Empire”. Graphic novel. Collaboration with musician & historian Akala.
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2002 story-board for Ms. Dynamite music video it takes more from, a Mercury prize-winner