Lisa Henry Chu Foon

Lisa Henry was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1947. She came from a family traditionally involved in the Arts. Her grandfather, a film director, her father an opera singer and an uncle a painter.

In 1965 Henry attended the National College of Art and Design in Stockholm, leaving in 1967 to attend St. Martin’s College in London, where she studied until 1968.

Moving to Trinidad in 1971, Henry has exhibited in several joint and one man exhibitions, participating yearly in the Trinidad Art Society November exhibition and serving on the Art Society Executive Committee for four years.

Henry has held life – drawing lessons for the Art Society as well as giving private lessons to “0” and “A” Level students. She illustrated children’s books: “The Magical, Mystical Ibis” and ” A year of Environment”, which she did for the United Nations andwhich won her a nomination fo a UNESCO Prize. Her works are in many private collections in the Caribbean and in private and corporate collections in Trinidad and Tobago.

Lisa was the wife of artist Patrick Chu Foon. Lisa died of cancer in 1997.

Artist’s Statement:
Whether I paint what might appear to be non-figurative or abstracted realism, the world around me is my inspiration. I say “what might appear” because for me there is no pure abstract.
These exhibits perhaps are abstracted in the sense that I have condensed information about the subjects. They are also based on my feelings for and about the subject. I understate as a means of trying to achieve a mood and a wholeness – of course the constant struggle is ever present for the search for a probably elusive honesty. This struggle for honesty is very important to me, one has to beware of aesthetic pollution – influences which in themselves are perfectly valid but which might not be right for me and for what I’m trying to express.   The mind perceives, assimilates, clarifies and translates – that is the process – and then the labour pains. If one is extremely fortunate birth is also given. And then I thank God.

Man and Dove – acrylic on board – 5 x 4″