Abstract Art and Emotional Connection: Inside the Proximity Series

Charlotte Wensley
Aug 1, 2011
5 min read

Updated: Nov 5

The Proximity collection captures personal experiences and translates them into visual form through abstract painting, transforming subtle human emotions into tangible artworks.

Colorful abstract painting of circular flowers against a vibrant background of red, blue, and black hues, creating a whimsical mood.

The paintings in Proximity explore themes of presence, absence, relationships and formative moments.

Using contrasting colour and circular motifs, this collection evokes the tension and harmony that exist in human connection.

Some pieces feel immediate and enveloping, drawing you into a close, almost tactile interaction. Others introduce space and separation, reminding us that distance can be as meaningful as nearness.

Colour plays a vital role in expressing emotional nuance throughout the series. Warm oranges, muted purples, and soft aqua greens and blues coexist to create a dynamic interplay between energy and calm. Each composition is carefully considered to describe the subtle rhythms of relationships; moments of closeness, gentle tension, and the quiet beauty of shared presence.

Proximity is more than a visual experience; it is an invitation to an inner dialogue. These paintings invite you to interact with both the collective energy of human connection and the singular intimacy of personal emotion. They are a meditation on how through art making the gap between inner feeling and outward expression can be bridged.

Through abstract forms and evocative color, Proximity transforms fleeting moments of human experience into something lasting and contemplative.

There are 12 paintings in this collection (2010/2011).

| Angelmaker

This piece drifts in the realm of joyful creation, it is a meditation on the unseen forces that shape positive transformation. Angelmaker is imbued with a sense of spiritual reverence as it holds a quiet tension between beauty and fragility, evoking the moment when a beginning begins.

Acrylic on canvas

61cm x 71cm

Abstract artwork with vivid circles and patterns in red, yellow, and black. Dynamic, energetic composition with layered textures.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Going On

Going On references the challenge of movement when the world want to stand still. It's about the subtle pulse of life that carries us forward even when everything feels suspended. Transitions of colour and shifting circular forms suggest time unfolding, not in grand gestures but with a sense of drifting. It’s a reflection on endurance and acceptance, a visually rhythmic piece that speaks of continuing, simply because we must.

Acrylic on canvas

51cm x 77cm

Abstract cityscape with circular floral patterns in red, black, and white. Skyline silhouette against a textured, colorful background.

Original - SOLD

| Joy Bubble

Joy Bubble is a celebration of lightness — a moment of pure, buoyant energy rising to the surface. Layers of luminous colour seem to shimmer and lift, echoing the passing nature of happiness as it expands and dissolves. The painting captures joy not as a constant state, but as an effervescent pulse — something delicate, unexpected, and beautifully alive.

Acrylic on canvas

91cm x 91cm

Abstract art with swirling red tones and circular patterns. A contrasting white band of circles flows across the bottom, evoking a dynamic mood.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Migration

This painting evokes movement, transition, and the passage between states of being and physical locations. Forms within the composition suggest a journey both physical and emotional, that carries with it memory of times past and hope for the future. Migration resonates with the tension of departure and arrival, capturing the fluidity of change and the invisible paths that guide us forward.

Acrylic on canvas

48cm x 48cm

Abstract painting with vibrant circular patterns resembling flowers. Background blends dark, red, and blue hues, creating a whimsical, dreamy mood.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Promise

Promise radiates a quiet tension between hope and anticipation, a suspended moment where possibility feels tangible. The forms suggest unfolding potential, like a future being gently shaped before our eyes. The painting speaks to trust — in time, in growth, and in the unseen forces that quietly guide us toward what is yet to come.

Acrylic on canvas

48cm x 48cm

Abstract painting with a yellow-red sky, sun, blue stripe, and colorful circular patterns on a red background. Vibrant and whimsical mood.

Original - SOLD

| Resistance

Resistance embodies the tension between action and stillness. Forms jostle against each other, capturing the energy of holding ground, of navigating obstacles, and of the quiet strength found in standing firm amid opposing currents.

Acrylic on canvas

48cm x 48cm

Colorful abstract painting with circular patterns in red, orange, and blue on a textured background. Energetic mood with a dark central shape.

Original - SOLD

| Resting Place

Resting Place offers a moment of calm and reflection, a pause amidst the flow of life. You are invited to linger and breathe in this place of quiet and solitude. This piece evokes the gentle stillness where renewal and contemplation meet, a space both intimate and expansive.

Acrylic on canvas

61cm x 71cm

Abstract painting with vibrant red and yellow background, concentric circles in various colors, and a blue strip at the bottom.

Original - SOLD

| Robbers

Robbers delves into the shadowed corners of the human experience — those moments of loss, intrusion, and vulnerability that unsettle and challenge us. Dominant dark forms suggesting tension, disruption, and the unpredictable forces we encounter in life. This piece reflects on the universal struggle of confronting what life takes from us, while also proposing resilience and the possibility of reclaiming space and agency.

Acrylic on canvas

51cm x 61cm

Abstract painting with red sun, vibrant sky, and cityscape. Gear-like patterns in foreground. Colors include red, blue, yellow, and black.

Original - SOLD

| Strangeland

Strangeland transports you to a realm that feels unfamiliar and yet deeply evocative, a landscape shaped as much by memory and emotion as by physical space. The layered composition suggests a journey through uncertainty, curiosity, and wonder. This piece captures the human experience of navigating the unknown — moments of disorientation, discovery, and the quiet thrill of stepping beyond the familiar.

Acrylic on canvas

61cm x 71cm

Abstract painting with a blue sky, black dot, and colorful circular patterns resembling flowers on tall stems. Vibrant reds, yellows, and dark tones create an energetic mood.

Original - SOLD

| The Fisherman

This piece reflects the human qualities of patience, perseverance, and introspection. The circular forms become a metaphor for the quiet endurance required in life, navigating uncertainty while remaining attentive and grounded. The Fisherman reflects on our capacity for supporting others and the steady pursuit of a singular purpose amid the ebb and flow of circumstance.

Acrylic on canvas

61cm x 71cm

Abstract painting featuring black and yellow areas with red and white circular patterns. Lines and dots create a dynamic, vibrant feeling.

Original - SOLD

| The Ledge

The Ledge explores the tension and vulnerability inherent in human experience. It is a piece that contemplates precarious moments — standing on the edge between risk and safety, uncertainty and decision. The painting reflects courage, hesitation, and the inner dialogue we face when confronting thresholds that challenge our resilience, and sense of self.

Acrylic on canvas

48cm x 48cm

Abstract landscape with a red sky above a dark horizontal line; colorful circular patterns resemble flowers in the foreground.

Original - SOLD

| The Ruminant

The Ruminant delves into the contemplative side of the human experience, capturing the mind’s quiet but constantly looping energy and capacity for reflection. The shimmering form and strong but vibrating colour palette suggests introspection, thoughtfulness, and the weight of memory as it cycles through consciousness. The painting evokes the human need for reflection and the way we process, revisit, and make sense of our inner and outer worlds over time.

Acrylic on canvas

30cm x 30cm