CV
Artist Statement
Caroline List is a British contemporary artist, born in Nottingham, who currently works in London and Ramsgate. She studied painting at Chelsea School of Art & Design, where she completed an MA in painting. Over the years, her work has developed through a number of painting material processes and ideas.
Her recent paintings explore the emotional and spatial effects of colour and light. Drawing on colour theory, light contrast, and optical depth. Caroline explores abstraction through formal compositions and shifting colour horizons.
The blended colour grounds in her paintings are carefully layered, with slow drying oil pigments, merged across the surface to evoke luminous colour-scapes. These atmospheric fields are set against clean geometric forms, referencing both modernist abstraction and the poetics of light. She has also created light boxes that function as luminous back-lit counterparts to her paintings. Caroline describes her current works as ‘Chromatic Spatial Abstractions’
Previously, her earlier works were hinged in abstract landscape exploring, light, memory & place. Elements are still visible in these current non representational works, yet the figurative references are paired -down, creating a visual puzzle of colour form & ground.
Since graduating with an MA in Painting, (1988) from Chelsea School of Art & Design Caroline has been represented by a number of galleries. She has exhibited in London, Spain, New York, Toronto, Paris & China, including Curating several successful exhibitions in the contemporary London art scene.
Caroline’s earlier works produced in the 1990’s, were large contemporary abstract oil paintings, which referenced epic history painting, dystopian nature & elemental landscapes spaces. These works were exhibited in contemporary exhibitions and Auctions at Bonhams & Christies, London. A number of works were sold to public & private collections and the Contemporary Arts society, when she was represented by the late (Art consultant ) Mr John Simmons.
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Water Through Stone 1990 – 180cm x 130cm oil on canvas (sold private collection ) New Generation Bonhams, London, curated by John Simmons Art Consultant ( 1990)
In 1995 Caroline won the Ist prize in painting at the ROL, Piccadilly Commonwealth Painting prize judged by the renowned painter and Printmaker Patrick Caulfield.
In 2002- 2004 She had a successful solo show ‘ called ‘Ditto Ditto ‘ when she was represented by Catto Contemporary gallery, Shoreditch, London, which is now (Ben Austin Fine Art) Caroline also exhibited with ‘Mark Jason & Tag Fine Art’, exhibiting in London contemporary art fairs in the UK and internationally, when she made a series of paintings fusing photo light sensitive emulsion and oil paint. Caroline continued to exhibit in numerous curated & solo shows in London’s vibrant East End Art scene where she curated the successful show. ‘The Horizon of Expectation’ ( 2004) . From 2007- 2015
Her exploration into mixed media materials led her to make a series of landscape & memory paintings called ‘Silent Witnesses’ working with painting photography and light. This series explored the ancient Sherwood forest and deforestation.The oak trees are over 800 years old and the forest was once 100,000 acres and is now1,000 acres
English Type (2008) oil & acrylic & light sensitive paint on canvas – diptych 120 x 300cm ( silent witness series ) sold private collection.
In 2015 Caroline had a solo show at Art House -1 in Bermondsey – London called ‘Geoscapes’ curated by the wonderful gallery director ( the late ) Rebecca Fairman. Caroline made a series of painting and light-boxes and paintings, in response to her trip to Iceland exploring landscape phenomena and the industrial sublime, in response to interventions of geothermal technology on the natural landscape
Geoscapes Light box 2015 ( sold private collection )
From 2018 – 2026 Caroline’s inquiry into light and the sensory experience of colour led to her recent works which she describes as….
‘Chromatic Spatial Abstractions’. Caroline exhibited with Laurent Delaye gallery, who focuses on systematic painting and formal abstraction. Caroline’s main focus is painting, yet she has explored her ideas through various media, such as print, sculpture and light boxes. Within these works she seeks to explore abstraction, balance & form through the Sensuality of shape, colour & light.
Carolines work has been collected by a number of private collectors as well as corporate collections, including, The Contemporary Arts Society, Arthur Anderson London, Neuberger & Berman New York, Fidelity Financial, London, JP Morgan & Cazenove bank. Hilton -la defense – Paris. Caroline’s ‘Light Box -Tondo ‘works are exhibited at the Groucho club ( Soho ) which are currently part of their contemporary collection – London .
Artist’s Statement – for Over 40 years I have been committed to supporting my art career, coming from working class roots, financially this has not been an easy journey, however I have been determined to support my Art practice by working in art education, along with gallery sales, funding & curated shows. For over 30 years I worked part time in Fine Art education, teaching mixed media painting and delivering specialist painting workshop within the BA / MA Fine Art program at Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design (1995- 2025.) Along side this demanding role I continued to maintain my studio practice and exhibit in the UK and overseas. I am excited to work with new curators, galleries and art lovers. I am open to proposal from curators, galleries and projects spaces.
Recent Group show
October 2026
‘Plumbline of a Dancer ‘ curated by Johanna Melvin The Terrace Gallery Hackney, London
September 2026
End Of Summer – curated by Amy Frost. Frost Editions, Margate
‘Green ‘ curated by Katrina Blannin ( A group show of Abstract works on paper ) The Terrace Gallery Hackney, London
July 2026
Solo Show Light Puzzle ‘The House’ Ramgate. An exhibition of paintings prints and light-boxes – An abstract visual Puzzle of colour light & form
December 2025 – 26
Ramsgate Winter Festival of Light – Sponsored by The Arts Council -England – 11 selected artist install art works and installations. illuminating public spaces in “Light Up Ramsgate ‘
December 2025 – Jan 26
Winter – Linden Hall Gallery – group show – Deal Kent
October 2025 Lido Open Margate – Kent – curated by Kristen Healy & Sophie Von Hellermann
July 2025 Site specific exhibition in Margate/Kent at The Orchid Room Margate Kent – This exhibition explores light & colour conversation, showing paintings and light boxes, with a focus on purple & pink – titled . ‘Perfectly purple but Decidedly Pink ‘
Perfectly Purple but Decidedly Pink – solo show Orchid Rooms / Margate
COMMON GROUND
https://www.laurentdelaye.com/exhibitions/36-common-ground-an-exhibition-in-folkestone/
28 March – 7 April 2025 – Folkestone/ UK
November 2024
‘COLOUR WAVES ( Turbulence ) ‘ Tension Fine art curated by Laurence Noga Group exhibition of paintings and sculpture, exploring (non representation) through materiality, chromatic saturation and colour turbulence – Alexis Harding, Fabio Almeida,Ben Gooding, Katrina Blannin,Stephen Jaques,Dan Sturgis, Julian Wakelin,Caroline List, Laurence Noga.
October – 2024
‘PAST PRESENT & FUTURE ’ The Art Academy, curated by Rob Pepper & Sue Spall, Bankside, London
2024
FLATLAND – Side Show Lethaby Gallery, University of the Arts -Central Saint Martins School of Art & Design, London
Passing Winter Laurent Delaye Gallery, Ramsgate , Kent
2023
Summer Exhibition Laurent Delaye Gallery Ramsgate , Kent https://www.laurentdelaye.com/
December – 2023 Jan 2024
FLOWER Gallery, London, Cork street ‘Small Is Beautiful’. 41st edition. group show
https://www.flowersgallery.com/exhibitions/579-small-is-beautiful-41st-edition/
Recent shows 2023-24
FLOWERS GALLERY
‘Small Is Beautiful’ 41st edition – FLOWERS Gallery Mayfair, London
2023
Summer Exhibition
Laurent Delaye gallery Ramsgate , kent https://www.laurentdelaye.com/
Summer Show – Light Tondo, light box works – 8)cm Diameter led light boxes of back lit paintings 2023
Caroline List Light Tondo Magenta 80cm lightbox
July 2023
Ruskin Gallery Cambridge
The New Accelerator exhibition, aims to establish a dialogue between a range of artists who have reflected advances in technology through reductive, minimal, architectonic or geometric approaches.
https://creativeshowcase.aru.ac.uk/events/culture-calendar/the-new-accelerator/
November 2022 -23
Small Is Beautiful’ 40th edition – FLOWERS Gallery Mayfair, London
Colour Suspension Blue Magenta Oil on Linen ( Sold)
Colour Suspension Blue Yellow Acrylic & oil on Linen (Sold)
October 2022
Marie Josie Gallery Kensington, London AL(L)ONE
https://www.mariejosegallery.com/allone
Kensington, London
July 2022 Horizon (landscape and beyond) Curated by Alex.Hinks
At The Cello Factory Gallery, London -30th June – 10th July 2022
Horizon (landscape and beyond) Landscape has been integral to artists for hundreds of years, from frescos to oil paintings and more. Horizon exhibition presents contemporary artists’ interpretation, representation and abstraction of our surroundings through a multiplicity of mediums.
image below from Horizon (landscape and beyond) Curated by Alex.Hinks
November 2022
FLOWER Gallery, London, Cork street ‘Small Is Beautiful’. 40th edition. group show
https://www.flowersgallery.com/usr/documents/exhibitions/press_release_url/551/press-release-small-is-beautiful-xl-2022-.pdf
Circle & Light Laurent Delaye gallery Ramsgate,UK
July 8th – August 30th – 2022
https://www.laurentdelaye.com/exhibitions/21-circle-and-light-summer-exhibition/
2021
‘Shape Chroma’ at Tension Fine Art, London . https://www.artlyst.com/previews/shape-chroma-katrina-bf/
Shape Chroma is a ‘trialogue’ curated by the artist Caroline List between three painters: herself, Laurence Noga and Katrina Blannin, who bring these questions into the realm of contemporary aesthetics with different explorations into colour, shape and spatial illusion. No single issue has been more fundamental to modernist painting than the acknowledgement of flatness or two-dimensionality, but the power of the mark to suggest illusion and depth belongs not so much to painting as to the eye. Exploring chromatic interactions, constructed and illusionistic space, each artist has created new painterly conversations in the light of Modernist abstraction and contemporary digital influences, highlighting the Goethe/Newton dichotomy between reason and the poetic.
https://www.tensionfineart.co.uk/current-exhibition-chroma/
Text Sue Hubbard
“Working on linen, board, paper and aluminium Caroline List creates luminous paintings full of sensuous hues that explore the spatial qualities of colour in relationship to form and ground, defined by their differing absorbances. Drawing on early 20th century abstraction and virtual screen photography her work implicitly refers to landscapes, organic shapes and atmospheric light. Using high key pigments and fluorescents full of transparency and opacity her works, despite their sophisticated geometry, create links to the saturated colour fields of Rothko and the spiritual, other worldly light of Caspar David Friedrich.”
Review ‘Shape Chroma’ Artlyst – Sue Hubbard (2021)
Solo Shows
2026 – Light Puzzle The House, Albion Place Ramsgate
2025 – Perfectly Purple but Decidedly Pink – Orchid Room, Margate
2018 – Light Chroma Angus- Hughes gallery, London funded by ‘Refresh’ UAL & Space studios Breathing space Bursary.
2015 – Geoscapes Arthouse1 Bermondsey, London. www.arthouse1.co.uk
2008 – Silent Witnesses Seven Seven Gallery, London Fields, London.
2004- Memento Gibsone Jessop gallery, Toronto
2002 – Ditto Ditto Catto Contemporary gallery, Hoxton, London.
1996/7 The Power of Taste – solo exhibition, (1ST Prize winner in painting) Royal Over Seas League, Piccadilly – touring London & Edinburgh
Group Shows
2021 – Dirty Pink – 13 women artists explore the controversial colour pink @The Renaissance Art Project, Valencia, Spain,
2020 – Christies Auction, The Art Academy, London, Mayfair
2019 – No 20 Arts, London, Summer exhibition. Islington
2018 – Central Saint Martins School of Art Window Gallery, group show
2017 – The Groucho Club contemporary, collection, Soho, London
Previous Group Shows 2016- 2007
2016 Lights of London. Signs That Say What You Want Them to Say, curated by Robert Montgomery,
2014 – Art Britannia, Miami curated by Ben Austin.
2014 – Lion and & Lamb gallery ( Turps Banana magazine ),. Summer Saloon, Hoxton, London
2013 – The Arcane Gallery, Hackney, London, “Insomnia” – curated by Dave Stewart.
2013 – The Lion & Lamb ( Turps Banana) Hoxton, London. Intuition/anti- intuition, curated by Lawrence Noga.
2012 – The Griffin Gallery, London ‘Surface’ – curated by Erika Winstone
2012 – Standpoint Gallery, Hoxton, London HA HA WHAT DOES THIS REPRESENT. Curated by Katrina Blannin
2011- Charlie Dutton Gallery selected by Mathew Collins, Toby Clarke, Dan Hays & Charlie Dutton. Crash Open
2011 – China International Luxury art fair Exhibition Shenyang, China. Shenyang Art fair China.
2010 – Art of Living, Curated by Vestalia Chilton. Knightsbridge, London.
2010 – Christies Auction, Lehman Brothers collection, London.
2010 – London Newcastle Projects, Hoxton, London. ‘Unnatural Selection’ curated by Ben Austin
2009 – Seven Seven gallery, London Art fair Islington ‘Constructed Nature’ Project space
2008 –Dover Street Arts Club, London (1st prize winner) Members exhibition
2008 – London Art fair, Islington, Tag Fine Art, ‘00 Nature’ Contemporary Art projects, Art London.
2008 – ‘Romance ‘Kowalsky Gallery, Dacs artist copyright, London. ‘Romance
2007- Seven Seven gallery, Hoxton, London. ‘Mist & Bells’
2007 – Contemporary Art Projects, London. Hoxton Winter Projects
2007 – London Art fair – Project Space, Seven Seven gallery,business Design centre, Islington, London
2007 – Standpoint gallery, London, ‘Artificial Glory’, curated by Caroline List & Isabel Young,
2007 – Studio 1.1 Gallery London, ‘Grotto’
2006 – Zoo Art fair, Studio 1.1 gallery
2007 – Fieldgate Gallery, Half Life’ ,East London, curated by Richard Ducker
2007 – Sartorial Contemporary Between Worlds, London, curated by Isabel Young
2007- Space, 148b Chimera, Clerkenwell, London group
2007 – Colliyer Bristow gallery England’s Dreaming-, London, curated by Andrew Godard, London.
2007 – Standpoint Gallery Broken Romanticism – curator Stephen Walter, artist, Gordon Cheung, Daniel Gustav Cramer etc.
Previous Group Shows 2007 -1988
2007
Seven Seven gallery, Hoxton, London. ‘ Mist & Bells’
Contemporary Art Projects, London. Winter Projects
London Art fair Project Space, Seven Seven gallery, Islington, London
Standpoint gallery, London, ‘Artificial Glory’ curated by Caroline List & Isabel Young,
Studio 1.1 Gallery London, ‘Grotto’
2006
Zoo Art fair, Studio 1.1 gallery
Petro Canada corporate exhibition London
‘Half Life’ Fieldgate gallery London, curated by Richard Ducker
‘Between Worlds ‘ Sartorial Contemporary, London, curated by Isabel Young
‘Chimera ‘Space 148b Clerkenwell London group curated show,
‘England’s Dreaming ‘, Contemporary Landscape exhibition, Collyer Bristow gallery, London,
curated by Andrew Godard, London.
‘Broken Romanticism’ Standpoint Gallery, curated by Stephen Walter,
exhibiting artist, Gordon Cheung, Daniel Gustav Cramer, Simon kingleyside, London
2005
London Art Fair, Islington, London, Mark Jason fine Art
‘Night On Earth ‘: group exhibition curated by Harry Pye, London.
‘Current Vision ‘ Sartorial Contemporary, London:
Gavin Nolan, Isabel young, Sigrid Holmwood, Sam Dargon
Art London (art fair) Mark Jason Fine Art.
2004
‘The Horizon of Expectation ’ The Empire gallery, London “ curated by Caroline List
Exhibiting artist: Gordon Cheung Gavin Nolan, Isabel Young, Reece Jones, Jost Munster, Kounsuke Kowakame, Peter Lamb, George Doneo, Memei Thompson.
‘Mothers ‘. A hundred artist paint their mother, curated by Harry Pye.
London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. ‘Smog’ Curated by Pam Skelton, Contemporary Art fair Toronto.
2003
Contemporary Art fair, London, Hoxton, Catto Contemporary.
Contemporary Art fair, London, Catto Contemporary gallery
2000
Upstairs At The Clerks House, ‘Ornament’ curated by Katrina Blannin, Shoreditch, London.
Artist Network Group Show, Cavendish Square, London.
1999
‘Dinosaurs Blood’ Art in Perpetuity Trust, The Body of Painting’
curated by Cally Saunders.
1997 ‘New Images rising British painters ‘ ‘La Capitol La Defence, Paris.
20/ 20, Kings gate Gallery, West Hampstead, London.
1995
Annual Open painting competition Royal Over Seas League Annual 1st prize winnner
Open painting competition, (First prize winner ) Piccadilly, London.
1994
The painting Show Ernst & young, London.
1993
Henderson group show Art Wise, corporate exhibition, London.
1992
Spatial Elements, Hornimann Museum, London.
Academicians choice, The Mall Galleries, London.
1991
Contemporary Young Painters, Christies, London.
Group painting exhibition, Nigel Greenwood gallery, Piccadilly London.
1991
Small is beautiful Flowers gallery, East London.
1990
Contemporary Art Society, Smiths gallery, London.
Two Years On Morley Gallery, London.
1990
New Generation Contemporary British painting, Bonhams, London.
1989
Images of Paradise, Survival International auction, Harwood House, Leeds, Contemporary Painters Auction, Christies, London.
1988
Contemporary Art Society Covent garden, London.
The future famous, The Century Gallery, Fulham, Londo.
Caroline List ( earlier works produced in 1989'. Oil on canvas
' Above the land Below The Sea'. 1989.
Education
1988 – Chelsea School of Art & Design, MAFA Painting
1986 – BA Fine Art ,Portsmouth School Of Art
19683 BETEC Art & Design Mansfield School of Art
2011- PG Cert in teaching & learning, UAL,Central Saint Martins School of Art
Collections
2016
The Groucho Club contemporary collection.
2009
Dover Street Arts Club, Mayfair London.
2008
Fidelity Financial Corporate collection, London.
2005
Cazenove / JP Morgan Investment bank, London.
2004
Neuberger & Berman collection, New York.
2004
Lehman brothers Investment bank private, London.
1998
Evans, private collection London.
1997
Le Capitol la Defence private collection, Paris.
1996
The Hilton Hotel Headquarters, London.
1990
Contemporary Arts Society, public collection, London
1990
Arthur Anderson, private collection, London.
1989
Milbank House, public collection, London.
Awards, scholarships & prizes
2018
Refresh funding University of the Arts, Central Saint Martin’s School of Art & Design
2017
The Breathing Space bursary, Space Studios, London
2007
Nominated for Bryan Robertson award in painting
1995
Royal Over-Seas League awarded 1st prize in painting, in the annual international Commonwealth painting competition
1987
Herbert Read Scholarship
1986
East Midlands Arts, starter grant for emerging artists
Publications and Reviews
latest Articles
Publications
2023 Exhibition catalogue ‘The New Accelerator ‘ – Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.
The discourse surrounding Geometrical and Systems based art remains rooted in 1960s and early 1970s zeitgeist for purity, through clarity of thought and articulation, and as an extension of earlier Modernist dialogues. Conventionally located often as related to painting or other physical processes of construction such as sculpture or wall-based reliefs, The New Accelerator exhibition profiles a wider range of work, such as digital generative simulation or 3d video animation, which are presented alongside work that continues to explore media such as oil or acrylic on canvas, 3d relief constructions and installation.
2021 -Artlyst – Shape Chroma / Text by Sue Hubbard
2021 https://www.riseart.com/article/2390/the-landscapes-of-sublime-abstraction
Caroline List
2016 Luxury art & design article, www.yachtinvestors.c
2012
Christie’s Auction Catalogue, Lehman Brothers
HA HA WHAT DOES THIS REPRESENT, Catalogue designed by Katrina Blannin
Game and Play: Intuition/anti-intuition at Lion and Lamb Gallery, Patterns That Connect
2010
Unnatural Selection review, FAD Website
Unnatural Selection review, Amelia’s Magazine
Christie’s catalogue – Lehman Brothers Auction, London
2008
Silent Witnesses solo show review, Saatchi Gallery blog
2006
Contemporary Magazine Issue 82, Chimera exhibition, critic, Richard Dyer
2004
l’Espresso Magazine, Italy, article, Contemporary Artist In the East End London
2003
The Spectator, ‘Smog’ Exhibition, commenting on 50 years on from the 1952 London Smog
2002
Ditto Ditto solo show catalogue, foreword written by Richard Dyer: Sublime, Subliminal, Dicing With Doubles, sponsored by The London Institute, Chelsea School of Art
1997
Dinosaurs’ Blood ‘The Body of Painting’ catalogue, Richard Dyer: Art in Perpetuity Trust, London
1990
New Generation catalogue Bonhams
1988
Chelsea MA show Caroline List reviewed by Sarah Kent, Time Out magazine