Harriet Owles (b. 1998) creates works that merge figuration with geometric abstraction, drawing from a diverse range of influences spanning from the Italian Renaissance to contemporary movements like Bauhaus, Hard-Edge Painting, Concrete Art, Op-Art, and Constructivism. Their practice centres on the tension between abstraction and realism, exploring depth, flatness, surface, and structure. Rather than pursuing a narrative, Owles focuses on evoking emotion through form, colour, and recognition, turning the canvas into a space where precise geometric shapes coexist with expressive, human elements.
 

Material experimentation plays a crucial role in their process. Through the use of textural surfaces and dimensional paint applications, Owles creates tactile and spatial experiences, where paint sinks into the canvas fibres and impasto rises off the surface. Glossy peaks of colour interact with matte depths, offering a feast of sensory perception. The artist’s meticulous approach is informed by a passion for creating an immersive experience, bridging the flatness of the canvas with a sense of volume and movement.

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Owles applies colour with deliberate precision to modulate mood, tension, and spatial relationships, avoiding overt narrative to instead engage the viewer’s emotional response. With a unique set of techniques and recipes documented in their ‘Painting Bible,’ the artist brings a dynamic interplay of geometry and human expression to life, offering a fresh exploration of form that redefines the boundaries between abstraction and figuration.

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She graduated from the Royal College of Art Painting Master in 2024.