Stephen Whatcott is a self-taught artist working in Worcestershire, UK. Having previously dedicated several years to focusing on figurative drawing, he has been working on a new series of abstract paintings since the beginning of 2016. These largely monochrome abstract paintings explore solidity, texture and form, produced using a limited palette allowing focus and direction.

In 2015 Whatcott won the Painting category of the Secret Art Prize open art competition.

The bold and striking structural forms present in Stephen Whatcott’s minimalist, abstract expressionist paintings concentrate on qualities such as truth, order, simplicity and harmony.

The emotional impact of the image is always the primary focus of these paintings. Ranging from great, colossal walls of paint to more free-flowing expressive forms, they are built up in many textured layers while maintaining an emphasis on the energy that is put into the mark making at every stage of the process. By removing the figure from his work any emotion is allowed to be communicated directly to the viewer, this opens up the possibility to make a connection without any distractions.

b. 1983, Cheltenham, UK

Lives and works in Worcestershire, UK

Education

Self-taught

Solo Exhibitions

2018 Heikko, Curious Duke Gallery, London (June 7th-30th 2018)

Group Exhibitions

2017 The Secret Art Prize 2017, The Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch, London

2017 Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead, London

2017 Three100, No Format Gallery, London

2016 A Curious Christmas, Curious Duke Gallery, London

2016 SOHO Pop-Up, L'Escargot, London

2016 The Art Garden Party, Curious Duke Gallery, London

2016 The Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2016, Mall Galleries, London

2015 Mix 2, The Underdog Gallery, London

2015 Secret Art Prize - The Winners, Curious Duke Gallery, London

2015 The Pancakes & Booze Art Show, Studio Spaces E1, London

2015 The Creative Bubble Pop-Up Show (April edition), Roxy Bar & Screen, London

2015 The Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2015, Mall Galleries, London

2014 The Creative Bubble Pop-Up Show (November edition), Roxy Bar & Screen, London

2014 The Creative Bubble Pop-Up Show (September edition), Roxy Bar & Screen, London

2014 The Curious Art-Pie Show, Curious Duke Gallery, London

2012 Open Exhibition 2012, Number 8 Gallery, Pershore

2011 OH! Oxford House, London

2011 Second Glance, Brick Lane Gallery, London

2008 Innate Ability IV, Number 8 Gallery, Pershore

2005 Innate Ability I, Number 8 Gallery, Pershore

Bibliography & Features

2018 The Plus Paper, “Read between the lines” March 2018

2014 Soapbox Press, "Visualisation" January 2014

2013 Twohundredby200 Magazine, Issue 8, November 2013, p. 105-108

Awards

2015 Secret Art Prize: Category Winner: Painting

2012 Number 8 Gallery Special Merit Award