Along with his former mentor, Austen Deans, much of the output of painter Henry Lowen-Smith’s artistic career is quintessentially Cantabrian. Documenting faithfully the scenes of this region has been his abiding interest, and the clear light of the landscape is reflected in his bright palette of fresh greens, dazzling blues and the warmth of golden tones.

At one point Lowen-Smith travelled an estimated “3,000 miles a year” all over the country in order to obtain subject matter for his work, capturing “the essence of the scene as it really was at the time” by painting plein air. This love of landscape, and the unique features of a particular area, such as its architecture or other signs of habitation, is revealed in the different locations depicted in the works in this exhibition.

Capturing “that fleeting moment of nature” has propelled Lowen-Smith’s dedication to painting over the years. For him, paintings become a means to authentically summon again the places he’s visited and the things he’s observed: “so when I see it again it brings back memories and to relive the atmosphere of that day and enjoyment of being alive.”

Henry Lowen-Smith was born at Wakanui in 1935 and lived for 70 years in Ashburton. He has family ties to the area extending back to the 1850s. After turning down an opportunity to attend art school as a teenager, he studied architectural draughting and joinery, beginning a career in the building trade. Under the tutelage of artists such as Austen Deans and Douglas Badcock, he refined his “traditional realist” style, and began painting full-time in 1978. He is the winner of multiple awards for his work, including two merit awards in the Kelliher Art Competition. He has many paintings in private and corporate collections throughout the world, including the Ashburton District Council’s art collection. He resides with his wife Sylvia at his home and studio in Geraldine.

Image | Henry Lowen-Smith, Early Morning over Ascot Street, 1980s. Oil on board.

This exhibition opening coincides with the opening of Bobbie Barwell: Capturing People and Places. More details here: Bobbie Barwell: Capturing People and Places – Ashburton Museum