Modern Makers: Q&A with Henry Woolway

Henry Woolway’s wide ranging body of work is a candid look at his relationship with life experiences both recent and from his childhood. Visually taking aesthetics from Scandinavian and European design and culture as well as early mid-century modern design, Woolway ties in simplistic and rudimental techniques giving the air of form over function or indeed a linear meaning to his work.

Woolway’s work reflects on the semi-rural upbringing and the simpler state of life one can take. Through stripping back the substance or noise, one can see the simple basic emotions or time locked statements in his work. The use of limited materials and colours allows this personal and honest look back, whilst still allowing the viewer to understand and find their own meanings.

We had the pleasure of talking to Henry Woolway about his background in design and making and his recent endeavours into making this passion his full-time job.

GS: What's the main inspiration behind your work?

HW: I am inspired by minimalist contemporary art and mid-century architecture and design. I have always said I want my art to be like a well designed arm chair, they’re not to overpower a room, they’re to sit in rather than stand out. I wanted to create paintings that capture a moment of calmness, either from my childhood or memory more recent. I have always been drawn towards minimalism and my belief is that to create something of quality deemed minimalist you have to produce something confident and clear with no compromise.

GS: How did you get into your craft?

HW: I have always loved creating. I really didn’t do anything majorly creative outside of my career for most of my twenties. Later in my 20’s I pushed to be creative and played around with different materials trying to find the right medium to suit my vision or to even understand my vision. When I started using canvas in 2020 it felt natural. It was completely by accident but as soon as I made my original paintings in my style I use now I knew it was what I had been looking for.

GS: What's your background in?

HW: I have worked in TV and Film for 11 years, for the last 7 years I’ve been a Supervising Art Director working on large TV dramas, films, music videos and TV commercials. I studied Tv and Film Set Design at the University of Glamorgan graduating in 2010. I have recently left the industry to concentrate on my art. I don't have any formal art training which I feel helps me stay true to my vision without being lumbered with expectations or limitations of other people's work or input.

GS: How do you see your work progressing?

HW: I want to keep pushing minimalism with texture and simple forms. I will continue to use layered, torn and ripped canvas with simple colours. I have started bringing in ambers to my work to play alongside the black and light tones of the canvas. I want to bring in more layering and increasing texture. I love the simplicity of Rothko paintings and to do similar with the same feeling in my work would be something I’d like to achieve.

GS: Are you interested in exploring other materials or crafts?

HW: I’m currently experimenting with plaster to make pieces with texture and relief. I love texture, the way light plays on it creating shadows and different shades on the work allows me to work in minimal colours but still to give the sense of depth. The plaster pieces would still sit in the same aesthetics as my current paintings. Simple with subtle changes in texture and shapes. The plaster's natural colour is similar to canvas colour, it's a very neutral colour, slightly warm which works well with black and a nice warm frame.