About Paul Kneen
Many of us carry a constant internal noise — stress, frustration, pressure, the quiet effort of holding things together while life continues to demand more. Although these experiences can feel isolating, they are often deeply shared.
My abstract portrait paintings explore that tension.
Faces sit at the centre of the work. They remain recognisable, but are fractured and intersected by layers of colour, geometric structures and sharp divisions created through masking and repeated layers of paint. The surfaces carry a sense of pressure — an attempt to visualise what sits beneath everyday life.
I often refer to this body of work as PAINtings. The term acknowledges psychological strain without dramatising it. These PAINtings are not statements of despair, but recognitions of persistence — moments of tension, resilience and gradual recovery that exist between emotional extremes.
My work is available as original paintings and limited edition prints. You can explore current pieces here:
“These paintings are not statements of despair,
but recognitions of persistence.”
Process & Approach
My work sits between abstraction and portraiture.
Each painting develops slowly through a process of taping, masking and layering acrylic paint. Sections of the canvas are repeatedly covered, painted and revealed, creating the sharp edges and intersecting structures that run through the work.
This process creates a balance between control and disruption — carefully constructed surfaces that still carry the energy and tension behind them.
Paul Kneen
Contemporary Abstract Portrait Artist
Working from my studio in Stamford, Lincolnshire, I create abstract portrait paintings using
acrylic and layered masking techniques.
The work explores moments of strain, resilience and persistence — experiences many of us recognise.
As Seen In
