Miles Coles (b. 1965) returned to painting in 2012 after a fifteen year hiatus, during which time he carved out a successful career as an illustrator, regularly working for The Economist, Tatler, The Times and The Wall St Journal.

His work is rooted in the tradition of British and European post-war Modernism, particularly abstract painting. Drawing inspiration from the experience of place - the rugged landscape of the Cornish coast or walking through the city of London with it's random geometry, these are departure points for an intuitive painting process that includes layering with palette knives, scratching back, adding texture with wax or marble dust, sanding down and exploring the role of accident and chance until the initial subject matter is transformed into a new reality - one of pure abstraction.

Music is also a significant factor in Miles' work and many of his paintings are named after jazz tunes. 'Point Of Departure' and 'Extrapolation' for example, are a reference to the jazz musician improvising around a structure, continuously refining, elaborating and reworking his or her theme.


Education
1989 MA Fine Art, Chelsea School Of Art, London
1986/89 BA (Hons) Fine Art, Gloucestershire College Of Art & Design

Commissions
1993 Reuters Ltd, Fleet St Office
1992 Trainload Freight Ltd, London Office
1995 to present, work as an illustrator with regular commissions for The Economist, Times Educational Supplements, Mail On Sunday, Wall St Journal, Esquire, Tatler

Solo Exhibitions
2019 Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford, Oxfordshire
1996 Gabrielle Skelton Ltd, London
1995 Praxis Gallery, Bristol
1993 Blackheath Gallery, London

Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 Cricket Fine Art, Chelsea
2021 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Hampshire
2021 Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
2020 Winter Exhibition, Linden Hall Studio, Deal, Kent
2020 Cricket Fine Art, Chelsea
2020 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Hampshire
2020 Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
2019 Cricket Fine Art, Chelsea
2019 Josie Eastwood Fine Art, Hampshire
2019 Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
2018 Brian Sinfield Gallery, Burford
2018 Josie Eastwood, Hampshire
2018 Cricket Fine Art, Chelsea
2018 Autumn Show, Josie Eastwood, Badlingham Manor, Cambridgeshire
2018 Winter Show, Paisnel Gallery, London
2017 Gray MCA at London Art Fair 17, London
2017 Gray MCA at BADA Fair, London
2016 Phoenix Cinema Gallery, Finchley, London
1996 London Print Workshop, London
1996 Jazz, Earlsfield Library, London
1995 ‘National Print Exhibition’, London
1994 ‘The First National Print Exhibition’, Mall Galleries, London