Carolyn DeLeo Explores Presence, Memory, and the Human Figure in It Figures
Carolyn DeLeo just released her brand new abstract collection, It Figures. This stunning new body of work explores the beauty and story of figures in abstract painting. Created in acrylic on gallery wrap canvas, this body of work evolved organically through gesture, instinct, memory, and reflection.
This collection explores presence, emotion, beauty, protest, and the truths that emerge through lived experience. Drawing from years of studying the figure — including regular live model sessions with fellow artists at Pearl River Glass — Carolyn allows each painting to evolve intuitively, guided by shape, movement, and feeling rather than rigid intention.
Throughout the process, Carolyn challenged herself to embrace simplicity: simple shapes, restrained edges, and the tension between softness and structure. At the same time, she expanded her technical process by experimenting with a wider range of brushes and textures while continuing her signature approach to color mixing using only primary colors, black, white, and unbleached titanium.
Among the featured works are Roots, a deeply personal painting that emerged from the image of a pink hand and evolved into a meditation on attachment and permanence, and Can I Come In, perhaps the emotional centerpiece of the collection. Originally inspired by a memory of young love and quiet visits through a lit window, the painting transformed over time into a broader reflection on home, inclusion, loss, and belonging.
"I want to thank Caron Gallery for the opportunity to show my work and the freedom to express myself and I appreciate their clientele and their love of art."
-Carolyn DeLeo
We invite you to experience It Figures and discover the conversations unfolding within each piece! View the full collection!