The Brush Leads The Way - A solo exhibition by Jack Watto

Lumina Gallery in Northampton is pleased to present The Brush Leads The Way, a solo exhibition of new paintings by the acclaimed Abstract Expressionist artist Jack Watto, running from 6–13 June 2026.

Featuring both large and small-scale works, the exhibition explores the human condition through vivid colour, expressive mark-making, and emotionally charged figures set within abstract landscapes. Narrative lies at the centre of Watto’s practice, with each painting inviting viewers to interpret the relationships, tensions, and stories of the human condition unfolding within the canvas.

“I just have to paint,” says Watto. “It’s inside me and it’s what I do every day. It’s wherever the brush leads me.”

Drawing inspiration from his tutors at the Slade School of Fine Art, including Frank Auerbach, Howard Hodgkin and Keith Vaughan, Watto combines abstraction with figuration to create works that are both instinctive and deeply human. Using oil paint, charcoal and pastel, he builds layers of texture and gesture from which figures emerge, intertwined with the landscapes they inhabit.

The Brush Leads The Way offers an immersive insight into an artist whose work is driven equally by emotion, imagination, and storytelling.
Opening Reception will be 6pm - 9pm on 6 June and the Gallery is open everyday between 11am - 4pm.    Free Admission.  
Lumina Community Hub, 6 George Row, NN1 1DF