Caroline List is a contemporary painter born in Nottingham, lives and works in London. Since graduating with an MA in Painting, from Chelsea School of Art & Design, Caroline has exhibited in numerous London galleries, in group shows in Europe, Miami, Toronto & China. Caroline’s work has been collected by a number of private and corporate collections. Recent exhibitions include ‘Passing Winter’ at Laurent Delaye gallery and Small Is Beautiful at Flowers Gallery, London.
How did you get into art?
Through dedication and being self directed. I have no family history of art appreciation or encouragement, however from a young age I loved looking at art books, which inspired my interest in painting and drawing. I development a portfolio of works and then gained a place at art school which opened up many opportunities.
How would you describe your style? What makes your work special?
Chromatic Spatial Abstraction.
My work seeks to expresses balance and form through the Sensuality of shape, colour & light. My recent paintings & sculptural paintings, generate an ongoing dialogue, exploring my love of colour, atmospheric light and Modernist abstract languages.
How do you go about developing your work?
I would like to give an insight into my working process, I often paint on absorbent 100% cotton (water-colour paper) and smooth gesso on linen or panel. I use carefully blended light fields of oil and acrylic underpainting, seen in contrast to painted hard edged, connecting geometric shapes. My Love of paint and colour is explored through the push & pull of the picture plane. The compositions and colour gradients are generated from collages and paintings on paper, which are later developed into larger paintings on linen, aluminium and painted, 3D Sculpture. I have extended my interest into “Chromatic value as light”, making hand made, back lit, circular Light boxes’ these works explore virtual space of viewing, luminosity colour and light.
Who or what influences you?
I love reading about colour and pigments, especially contemporary theorist on colour, such as David Batchelor. In an historical context my influences are Sublime Landscape and Formal Abstraction, particularly influenced by The Suprematist, French Orphism, (Sonia Delaunay) and modernist artist such as Agnes Pelton and the interior light within colour- field painters, such as Helen Frankenthaler, Rothko and Frank Bowling.
Make us curious. What are you planning to do next?
I am currently making a series of paintings called ‘Shape Frequency’ exploring movement & form through colour & shape. These paintings have also inspired recent sculptures called ‘Colour Puzzle’ This inquiry into Chroma & form has been developed further in my recent painted sculptural works, where painted 2D space blends and shapes 3D form.
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