David Bromley, whose unique style is instantly recognizable, is one of Australia’s most prolific and innovative artists. There’s no mistaking his bold black outlines, daring colors, and striking textures and layers, all executed on a large scale with graphic intention.

I first ran across his paintings of children, which harken back to vintage picture books and magazines. The world of toys, teddies, rabbits, sailboats, paper hats, rocking horses, scooters, and red mary janes is pretty much where I live, and I appreciated the nostalgic fix without the sentimentality. 

You can see why I had to learn more about this self taught artist, who was actually born in Sheffield, England (1960), but grew up in Australia after his family immigrated there when he was three.

In addition to his children’s series, he’s most well known for his butterflies & birds and female nude portraits. Bromley is also an accomplished sculptor, working in bronze and resin. Many of these pieces also explore the childhood themes of innocence lost and found (whimsical elephants, kids playing leapfrog).

Bromley’s oeuvre is expansive, diverse, ever evolving. Passionate, earthy, indefatigable, and intuitive, he’s interested in pretty much everything even though he considers himself “old school.” He employs a variety of mediums and processes to create his pieces, including but not limited to acrylic on canvas and/or board (with or without gold or silver leaf), oil on canvas or linen, synthetic polymer paint on linen, acrylic and needlework on canvas, mixed media on board, hand-colored screenprints, offset lithograph, dyed and quilted textile, and silkscreen. 

He’s painted on cars and surfboards, has produced murals for malls, and his designs appear on apparel and packaging (wine labels, perfume boxes, Vegemite jars). With his wife and business partner Yuge, Bromley & Co. has worked on varied and sundry projects encompassing the worlds of fashion, film, design, construction, and event space management. Whether designing furniture or creating lavish interiors for dining venues or boutique retail spaces, they share a decided passion for art and are “driven by a love for all things creative.” 

Bromley is an artist who will not be contained or restrained! Just when you think you can categorize him, he does something new and surprising. He has a penchant for unusual collaborations and is adamant about making art accessible rather than “rarefied.” One can purchase a perfume bottle for under a hundred dollars, a mid-priced print, or an original painting for tens of thousands – whatever is affordable for the individual and strikes the fancy. 

When asked about how and when he decided to pursue art as a career, he is candid about his addictions and rough adolescence, marked by adversity and an outsider mentality – “surfer bum” years when he had no clear direction in life. Having left school at age 14, his struggles with anxiety and attention deficit disorder were certainly challenging. During childhood he had been an avid reader, voraciously consuming Grimm’s fairy tales, comic books and Boy’s Own Annuals to quiet an overactive mind. 

In his mid twenties, he encountered a potter selling wares in a marketplace and it occurred to him that this might be something he could do. He learned the trade and became a ceramicist before transitioning into painting, which remains his primary métier today.

Early influences include Andy Warhol and Roy Lichenstein. His pop art sensibilities certainly shine through in his work, with his love of found images, ephemera, photographic sources and mass media references. Other favorite artists include Charles Blackman, McLean Edwards, Julien Schnabel, and George Raftopolous.

Bromley has participated in well over a 100 solo and group exhibitions in Australia and internationally. He’s won numerous awards and is a six-time finalist for the Archibald Prize, the most prestigious portraiture prize in Australia. His work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, and the Art Gallery of Western Australia, among others.

David and Yuge own Bromley & Co. galleries in South Yarra and Daylesford. In 2018, they purchased the Old Castlemaine Gaol in Victoria and converted it into a studio and gallery to house their large collection of paintings, sculptures, and other found objects. They are just as obsessed with collecting art as with making it.

Key pieces in this eccentric collection “ranges from a huge Japanese ceramic collection anchored in some Australian classics, from Shigeo Shiga and Derek Smith, to paintings by Charles Blackman, Dale Frank, and Jenny Watson through to Bernard Buffet. Then there’s sculpture, from old French lead coated cherubs to the pop playfulness of Thailand’s Udon Taipenich.”

Though he lives and breathes art, Bromley has confessed that his true center rests with his family and the life he shares with them. He has seven children (three with current wife Yuge), enjoys gardening, and counts among his favorite foods Weetabix, toasted cheese with tomato and Pinot Noir. 

Visit the Bromley & Co. website to learn more about David’s art and to see some of the commercial projects he’s worked on. Limited Edition prints may be purchased online via Fine Print Co. and At Home Style. For originals, visit Gallery One. To browse over 2000 pieces of his artwork (sold and unsold), check out the Australian and New Zealand Art Sales Digest (amazing!). 

Enjoy this short video featuring David and Yuge (who’s originally from Beijing and grew up in New Zealand). He explains how art saved him.

In this video, David and Yuge discuss their collaboration with Review Australia (Women’s Clothing) in their Daylesford studio.

Finally, a little something about his collaboration with Bondi Perfume Company and Chemist Warehouse. Gotta love that Aussie accent. 🙂

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