James Presley

I was born in Plymouth, England. January 28th, 1970. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years in Cornwall in the Southwest of England. When I grew up, I always wanted to be a rock star but never got that far. I spent many years working abroad, in Hungary, the Czech Republic and the U.S.A.

I started painting when I was 31 while I was in America. I loved the feeling I had when I did it and, apart from a couple of setbacks I haven't stopped since. I feel at one with the paint, the canvas and a brush and the ideas come from me with a certain amount of spontaneity and a great deal of emotion. I usually have an idea of colours and a basic shape or shapes in my head, but the rest just comes.

In 2007, I one International Artist of the Year, in the abstract category, which I am quite proud of, but I'm not in MoMA yet. I want to go there, that's a dream, and to the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.

I am now back to my roots in England, and I continue to paint and create. I hope you like what you see.

I believe art can be a learned process, it is also natural and a matter of what we see, feel and where we allow our hands to dance on the canvas, or our hands dance without the our minds controlling them. You can learn the techniques but you cannot learn to tell your mind to be satisfied with the techniques you have learned. When I am with the paintbrush, I always feel like we are dancing together, sometimes harmoniously sometimes against each other. Sometimes we are dancing the Tango, sometimes a Waltz, sometimes we caress each other to a slow romantic dance and sometimes we are in aggressive moments of passion. If there is harmony, it is possible to produce something which shows harmony, if there is no harmony then you may as well put the brush down until you feel it come back.

Xpat Interview: James Presley

"I have recently moved to Pilisvörösvár, mainly because my wife-to-be, who is Polish, is pregnant and also as we are both artisists in a way, she is writing poetry, and I am painting, we needed some inspiration, and you certainly get it there. I only started painting about 3 years ago, in 2002. I was in America for 3 months and when I came back to Hungary I just picked up a paintbrush and started. Since then I have had 7 exhibitions, mostly cafés, and one gallery on 13th district Vaci street.

I am not painting to make money I do it because it relaxes me, but if I do sell something that’s always handy, as its not the cheapest passtime.

I hope to gain recognition one day, I think that’s every artists dream as we are showing something visually. I am expressing my feelings through what I put on canvas, which is what I want to share with other people. What I would really like to do is have my paintings in modern office buildings, houses, cafes or interior design shops, and make a living that way, so any orders just send them.

I can thank Sylwia, my fiancee, for being where I am today as she has brought me much happiness and inspiration. Since we have been together that’s when I started to find a style that I enjoy, to basically discover a technique.

Web address: "

1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
I arrived 12 years ago, by bus well that’s what brought me here anyway and work.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
I spent 2 years in Germany, and last time I went to England I felt like an Expatriate.

3. What do you hope to accomplish, personally or career-wise, during your stay in Hungary?
Presently, I am working at a photo agency, but my real passion is art. I am hoping to accomplish recognition and open a gallery for those who don’t get the chance to show their works, and of course to show my own.

4. What surprised you most about Hungary?
Well when I came in the winter of ’93, the cold.

5. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend--what must they absolutely see and do?
I could say the castle, but that’s so typical so definetely a trip to Hero’s Square and a good Garden hop, weather-permitting.

6. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Sorry, I have to be boring and say Gulash with ‘strong Steve’, I also love the meatballs.

7. What food from home do you miss the most?
Pasties.

8. What is never missing from your kitchen?
Indian spices.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Art.

10.What’s a job you would definitely never want?
Teaching, I did it for 9 years .

11. Where did you spend your last vacation and where do you hope to spend your next one?
I spent my last vacation in 7th district, the next I would like to spend in Portugal, but I probably have to got to England.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Favourite singer, Elvis, hobby drawing, favourite film King Creole.

13. What can’t you resist?
I can't resist an invitation.

14. Red wine or white?
Vodka.

15. Decaf or regular?
Regular.

16. Book or movie?
Paint.

17. Morning person or night person?
All day, all night.

18. Dog person or cat person?
Cats only.

19. Buda side or Pest side?
Pilisvörösvár.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Live life for today, plan your future, don’t stress, and love everybody except those you hate.

Budapest, Hungary January 2003 PotKulcs. Gallery Cafe
Budapest, Hungary March 2003 PotKulcs. Gallery Cafe
Budapest, Hungary May 2004 ABB Gallery
Budapest, Hungary October 2004 Cafe Miro Gallery
Oxford, England May 2006 The Jam Factory
Oxford, England July 2007 Art in Action Show
Ostrava, the Czech Republic from January 2011 - permanent Miro Pizzeria
Ostrava, the Czech Republic July 2012 Colours of Ostrava Festival
Ostrava, the Czech Republic August 2013 Dul Hlubina

I won the SAA Abstract and Experimental Category for International Artist of the Year 2007 with the painting Flowers and Space Blue . The painting is available for purchase in a beautiful frame.