Chad Little’s paintings find humour and tension in the spaces between people. Drawing on vintage photographs, he captures fleeting gestures, expressions and moments that feel both intimate and strangely familiar. There is a quiet sense of recognition in his figures, as though each scene holds a story just beyond reach.
Working primarily in oil, Little combines recognisable figures with loose, simplified marks and areas that verge on abstraction. His muted, Polaroid-inspired palette and expressive brushwork strip away unnecessary detail, allowing gesture, colour and composition to carry the emotion. His approach sits between realism and abstraction, with process playing a central role in how each painting develops.
Little is a self-taught painter with a degree in graphic design. Since 2016, his work has appeared in publications internationally and in solo exhibitions across the US and Switzerland.
Based in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Little is also an avid surfer, often spending time in Costa Rica. His paintings invite a closer look at the stories between the lines.
