Although Hayley Lever was born in Adelaide, Australia, he began his art studies in London at the age of 17. By 1900 he had established himself in the artists’ colony of St. Ives, Cornwall. He would remain in St. Ives for ten years. At this time Lever’s paintings reflected the English movement to modify Impressionism with much looser, more fluid brushwork, as seen in St. Ives, Cornwall. By the time that Lever left for the United States his reputation was firmly established in Europe.

In 1908, Lever encountered the work of Vincent Van Gogh and was inspired to incorporate similar Expressionist techniques of modifying color and shape. Lever thus became more of an Expressionist than an Impressionist painter.

He moved to New York City in 1911 and developed a thriving career and reputation and ultimately became a United States citizen. He maintained a studio in both New York and Gloucester, Massachusetts which reminded him of the coast of St. Ives that he had loved so much.

He also taught at the Art Student’s League from 1919 to 1931.

Public Collections
Brooklyn Museum
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Detroit Institute of Arts
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia