Original Art
David Roman's original artworks are made by hand in his Birmingham studio, using hand-engraved and embossed surfaces gilded with genuine 12, 22 and 24ct gold leaf made in the UK.
The collection spans figurative and geometric compositions rooted in ancient ornamental traditions. These pieces reimagine the human spirit, at a time when human value is being reduced to data extraction.
Every piece is acquired directly from the studio, shipping to collectors worldwide.
The artist behind the work
David Roman is an independent artist working from his studio in Birmingham, UK. His paintings are built on intricate surfaces of hand-engraved and embossed detail, gilded with genuine gold leaf, addressing contemporary questions around consciousness and what gets lost when human experience is reduced to data.
The human figure runs through everything he makes, never quite solid, constructed from pattern and on the edge of dissolution.
Roman uses ancient craft as a deliberate counterposition to a culture that has made speed and data the measure of everything. His work is collected internationally, and collectors engage directly with the studio.
Questions about original art
Not at all. Original art from developing practices with genuine material commitment can be surprisingly accessible. What matters is the quality of what the work is made from and the documentation that comes with it, not the price bracket. Affordable original art is not a compromise, it is often where the most interesting collecting happens.
What it is made of matters more than you might think. Materials determine how a painting ages over decades. Buying directly from the artist means the documentation is first-hand and the price reflects the work, not a gallery's overhead. For most buyers, those two things change everything about the acquisition.
The artist's status, the materials, studio time, and the scarcity of something that exists once all go into the number. Buying directly from a studio removes gallery commission (usually 40% to 50%). Understanding how prices are formed makes it much easier to assess whether it's the right purchase for you.
Yes, when the source is verifiable and the art comes with complete documentation. The questions that apply to any serious acquisition also apply online: is the artist serious, what is it made of, what documentation comes with it, how will it arrive. A studio that answers all of those clearly is one you can buy from with confidence.
By going to where work has not yet been filtered for broad commercial appeal — studio websites, open events, commited artists developing outside the main instituational platforms. That is also where prices are most affordable and where meaningful relationships with artists are formed.