Enter the abstract

Henry Woolway's paintings have a sense of yin and yang about them. Controlled mark making is set next to splashes of uncontrolled mark making, rough edges and squared off with neat seams, and thick dark paint abuts raw light canvas. 

Henry Woolway's canvases are a response to the slowed down pace of life during lockdown. In his monochromatic works colours are substituted for textures, layering, paint effects and space.

The simplicity of Henry’s choice of colour palette and the paired back aesthetic leaves the viewer to consider the brushstrokes, some of which are carefully composed and others are left to chance. The seams, edges and materiality of the canvas also become points of interest, lending the works an earthy, textural feel. Focusing on these details which are set within an abstract work can have a meditative effect. Henry describes his paintings as “calm moments, a much-needed breather letting the world careen back to life.”

Accolades

Slate, Bridewell Studio and gallery, Liverpool, July 2020