Preston Paperboy
“The left eye is a window into someone’s soul: it tells us their real story.”
Nathan Preston was born in England in 1992 and studied architecture at Brighton University and began painting in his spare time.
After graduating, he shifted career paths to focus his creative energy on creating art and developing a personal brand not as Nathan Preston, but as Preston Paperboy.
Preston Paperboy quickly established a reputation for producing impactful, textured portraits that combine a broad array of physical and emotional elements.
The architecture industry’s loss is the art world’s gain.
A unique vision and creative energy
There is no denying the creative energy behind a Preston Paperboy artwork. His unique style combines the pragmatic structure of photorealism with the colourful vitality of abstract expressionism.
Using a broad array of mixed media, Preston Paperboy has firmly established himself as an artist after he shifted career paths from architecture. He stands apart from other artists by creating complex, textured portraits that feature vibrant colour schemes.
His artistic journey has involved using social channels such as Instagram to build up a buzz about his work and focus on finding fame with his personal brand.
His self-described “neo-expressionist” artworks take cues from his urban surroundings, as well as popular culture in England and globally, abstract expressionism and his world view.
Preston Paperboy counts greats such as Basquiat, Matisse, Banksy and Cy Twombly as major sources of inspiration, and says: “it's important to note that current artists have probably influenced my art more,” citing Jonni Cheatwood.
Preston adds: “seeing an active journey on social media is a great way to see an artist on a human level.”
One of London's premier contemporary artists
Preston Paperboy is one of the most exciting modern artists in England, with his focus on creating complex paintings that have a pragmatic structure and are more than the sum of their parts. It’s no surprise to learn he has emerged as one of London’s premier contemporary artists.
All works from Preston Paperboy feature the distinct “Smiler” logo, a nuanced signature that represents his growth as an artist. It comprises three lines sitting above a face’s sad smile, while a single tear and two dollar signs make up the features.
As you might expect from Preston Paperboy, who creates complex art, there’s more to it than meets the eye. The face’s sad smile and single tear both provide important nods to Preston’s past, as well as his ongoing battle with depression.
Meanwhile, the dollar sign eyes serve as a reminder to not allow wealth or a desire for fame cloud his vision as an artist since he shifted career paths.
The three lines overhead are a symbol of the light and peace Preston Paperboy has found on his artistic journey after leaving Brighton University.
The centrepiece of all his large-scale mixed media works is an individual eye. There is a science behind the brain mechanics and the human eye; left and right serving a different purpose,” Preston says. “When I leave the viewer to fill in the gaps, there is no right or wrong.”
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