About Lou Longworth

Creating refuges of beauty – a place to breathe...

Hello – I’m Lou Longworth, a nature-inspired abstract painter creating layered floral paintings that offer a moment of calm in an overwhelming world.

I’ve always been someone who feels things deeply, and nature has long been the place I go to breathe again. Whether I’m walking along the canal, wandering through the woods, or sitting quietly by a campfire, the colours, textures and quiet beauty of the natural world help me slow down and reconnect.

Painting has become another kind of refuge.

Through intuitive layers of colour and texture, I create semi-abstract floral landscapes inspired by the feeling of being surrounded by nature – that gentle exhale when the world slows down for a moment.

My hope is that these paintings bring the same sense of calm into your space - small refuges of beauty to remind you that, even when the world feels heavy or overwhelming, kindness and beauty still exist.

A LITTLE BACKSTORY

I grew up in South Africa (which explains my slightly odd accent when I say certain words), but I’ve lived in the UK for over 25 years now. My love for the outdoors has never faded though – I’m just as happy exploring the British countryside as I was hiking through the bushveld.

Art was always my favourite subject at school, but life took me in a different direction for a while. Then in 2017 I started doodling again, which led to a greeting card business and experimenting with digital art.

In 2023 I picked up a paintbrush – and a full-blown painting obsession began.

WHY I PAINT

I'm someone who is easily stressed by life and its busyness. Growing up in South Africa during the apartheid era, and later experiencing personal loss, has also made me deeply aware of how harsh and overwhelming the world can sometimes feel. Nature has become the place I always go to for perspective and peace – a reminder that beauty and gentleness still exist.

For me, painting is another way of creating that same sense of refuge I find in nature.

My process is slow and intuitive, building layer upon layer until the painting begins to feel calm, balanced and alive with textured depth. Early stages are often messy or uncertain, but eventually something softer and more beautiful emerges – a bit like finding clarity after a noisy or difficult day.

I’m not trying to paint particular flowers or landscapes. Instead, I try to paint the feeling nature gives me – the quiet, the breathing space, the sense of being somewhere gentle and restorative.

If my work does its job, it becomes more than something nice to hang on a wall. It becomes a place to pause, let go, and breathe...

Thanks so much for being here. Take a look around, see what feels good to you, and imagine which painting might become a calm refuge in your home.

Lou x