Howl Hubbard

The small size of Howl Hubbard’s ‘Storm’s Eye’ series belies the intensity of the paintings. When hung on a wall, their magnetism draws the eye in, keeping it there. The artist’s architecture of light is made by superimposing layers of transparent purples, blues, and yellows. This is achieved by applying, removing, and smudging paint, the luminosity of the centre deepening to darkness at the edges. These paintings are a contemporary continuation of that most triumphant painter of atmosphere, J.M.W Turner - particularly the more abstract works by this master, or rather, apprentice of light. Hubbard also returns again and again in order to do this subject justice. Light is at the centre and all else falls away from these hazy openings onto clarity. Portals are more explicitly referenced by the less abstract paintings, ‘Cyntedd (Hall)’ and ‘Stafell Hanes (History Room’). There are also temporal considerations in this work: a still moment must at once be considered as a transitional one.