Owen Gildersleeve

Owen was born in Bristol, UK (1986). In 2008, he graduated with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design from the University of Brighton, followed by a move to New York and then London to pursue a career as a paper artist, which eventually brought him back to Brighton, where he now lives and works.

Owen crafts meticulously finished, hand-cut paper artworks, exploring the relationships between minimal form and bold colour, often utilising sweeping gradients of tone. Driven by his graphical training, he brings a designer's instinct for composition and clean, considered form into his works, which are often built up through multiple layers of hand-cut sheets, using limited colour palettes to striking effect.

His precise, considered compositions invite viewers to examine the discipline behind their construction. Owen explains, “Paper is my preferred medium for its versatility and the tactile but crisp finish that can be achieved. It's a material I've been increasingly drawn to over the years, allowing me to easily transfer my graphical designs and ideas and then bring them to life, through multiple layers and often sweeping gradients of colour. My works straddle the line between the digital and handmade, celebrating life in its simplest of forms.”

Owen has been part of numerous international exhibitions, including solo and group shows in San Francisco, Tokyo, New York, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Berlin, and London. In 2025, he was awarded the Homiens Art Prize in New York, highlighting “luminaries who stand out for their masterful technical skill, innovative use of materials, and ability to provoke deep emotional and intellectual resonance.”