Henryk Lobaczewski is a Sydney based artist and photographer. We have been familiar with his thoughtful fashion imagery for many years, and when he began his painted works, we greedily wanted more than one to live in our homes. Henryk approaches his contemporary abstract works intuitively, finding much of his inspiration in tones and colours from the pages of fashion magazines. Every piece is a study of balance, weight of texture and exploration of colour.
Henryk grew up on a 10-acre parcel of bushland an hour out of Brisbane and learnt to drive sitting on his dad's knee with his twin sisters screaming from the back seat. He has spent his life surrounded by women, now sharing a home with his wife and two girls, and has an ever-creative mother who nurtured his desire to draw from a young age.
The wonder of his father’s silver box filled with cameras and lenses still burns in his memory. It catalyzed his interest in photography, and he still remembers his first camera, a red Kodak point and shoot. Henryk has always been drawn to aesthetic delights and says that he creates works to share beauty with this world.
“When I'm painting, I'm in a constant state of play. It's definitely a meditative practice.”
“I'm lucky to now be on my third big passion project in life.”
“It's a ritual. I paint canvases inside at night when everyone is asleep, and I paint my concrete works during the afternoon in the garden.”
“There's a child-like approach to getting that paint on the surface. It's quick & reactive. Then it dries.”
Tell me a little about yourself as a young man.
At age 11, I started work at an orchid nursery, and I fell deeply in love with orchids. At age 14, I had saved the money to pay to build a large greenhouse to house my orchid collection. My dad just told me to tell the bulldozer operator where I wanted it. I had amazing parents. I spent all my pay on orchids. I was always an all-or-nothing kind of guy. My dad passed away when I turned 15 and that loss defined who I am today.
What drew you to the practice of painting?
I have pined for it for a good ten years or so. I knew it was an expensive form of expression, and I never had the space, funds or time to create the forms of work I wanted to see out there. When I moved from an apartment into a house with a garden, it all changed. I set aside a budget and went into it deep. I'm now painting 2-3 times a week, as much as my other businesses will allow. I'm drawn to the child-like, carefree allure. And I always play on that. My paintings are simple yet intense, bold.
What do you enjoy about it?
I love that there are no rules, just material limitations, and I'm always trying to stretch them. When I'm painting, I'm in a constant state of play. It's definitely a meditative practice. I also love that when I'm painting, I'm not trying to 'sell something' like my other work as a fashion advertising photographer. There is no dress or pair of shoes I'm subconsciously selling that I have to keep in the back of mind while trying to be creative. No. With painting, the 'sell' is always an afterthought.
What inspires your creative practice?
Strong colour & texture, and simplicity. I love seeing confidence & boldness in art.
Tell me about your day-to-day. Where do you live?
I currently live in Vaucluse in Sydney, but we just bought a Spanish mission-style home we are renovating in the Upper North Shore. I normally do emails, paint in the day if I can, and work on images & editing until 1:00-3:00 AM.
So, I am definitely not a morning person! I now find I reward myself with painting time after I achieve an editing goal. Sometimes I edit, then paint, or paint, then edit, but I try to do some of both each day. Some days have become full paint days recently as I currently have a lot of commissions. And there's always a lot of playtime in between with my two girls.
What is exciting for you about the current Australian creative landscape?
Due to Covid, I feel like people have found their passion projects and are now pursuing them relentlessly. We only have so much time in this world, and it's not to be wasted on doing what you don't want to be doing. I'm lucky to now be on my third big passion project in life, painting, while still keeping all three in play. This also helps to fund the huge amounts of paint I use!
How would you describe your personal style?
European minimalism, or over the top loud and proud, depending on the day. I don't like to have brands showing, ever.
Who are some of your favourite designers (local and international)?
Gucci, Fear of God, Givenchy, Acne and Joseph Dirand for interiors.
Is there a piece from your wardrobe that you can't do without?
My soft green 'Fear of God' Fifth collection silk jacket. It makes any outfit extra.
Who are your idols?
Picasso & Steven Miesel.
What or who is currently inspiring your world at the moment?
When I paint, music is a big part of my inspiration, and I only listen to one artist, DJ Rhee, located in Bali. He gives away his one-hour sets for free on his website, and it keeps me in my flow state. You can donate too if you love it. Bali needs it!
Describe your workspace - where is it located, and what do you need around you to feel creatively motivated?
I like to create solo, with loud music playing, connected to my flow state. I don't drink & paint, as I want the connection to be all-encompassing with a clear mind. It's a ritual. I paint canvases inside at night when everyone is asleep, and I paint my concrete works during the afternoon in the garden. They are super messy. We are hoping to make a studio space in the build of the new house. I'm really looking forward to that!
Can you briefly describe the creative process of creating one of your artworks?
It always starts with colour. I might see a colourway in a fashion editorial shoot that I like. An image of a beautiful black model in an orange dress with light shining on the dress bringing out the tones of yellow and orange, inspired a whole orange piece I recently sold. I have recently played best with a solid colour or a maximum of two tones within the same colour to show depth. I feel like this will evolve into mixing some of these tones together, but I'm still obsessed with a solid colour. I then decide on canvas (acrylic) or board (acrylic or cement mix), and then once the tone is mixed, the music starts, and the painting doesn't stop until it looks right. Sometimes it's 17 minutes. Sometimes it's 2-3 hours. I'm very much an in-the-moment do-what-feels-right kind of painter. There's a child-like approach to getting that paint on the surface. It's quick & reactive. Then it dries.
Listen to Henryk’s painting soundtrack >>
If you would like to request a commissioned piece by Henryk please contact customercare@showroom-x.com.
Henryk can customise the colour and size of his painted works to complement your space.
Henryk grew up on a 10-acre parcel of bushland an hour out of Brisbane and learnt to drive sitting on his dad's knee with his twin sisters screaming from the back seat. He has spent his life surrounded by women, now sharing a home with his wife and two girls, and has an ever-creative mother who nurtured his desire to draw from a young age.
The wonder of his father’s silver box filled with cameras and lenses still burns in his memory. It catalyzed his interest in photography, and he still remembers his first camera, a red Kodak point and shoot. Henryk has always been drawn to aesthetic delights and says that he creates works to share beauty with this world.
“When I'm painting, I'm in a constant state of play. It's definitely a meditative practice.”
“I'm lucky to now be on my third big passion project in life.”
“It's a ritual. I paint canvases inside at night when everyone is asleep, and I paint my concrete works during the afternoon in the garden.”
“There's a child-like approach to getting that paint on the surface. It's quick & reactive. Then it dries.”
Tell me a little about yourself as a young man.
At age 11, I started work at an orchid nursery, and I fell deeply in love with orchids. At age 14, I had saved the money to pay to build a large greenhouse to house my orchid collection. My dad just told me to tell the bulldozer operator where I wanted it. I had amazing parents. I spent all my pay on orchids. I was always an all-or-nothing kind of guy. My dad passed away when I turned 15 and that loss defined who I am today.
What drew you to the practice of painting?
I have pined for it for a good ten years or so. I knew it was an expensive form of expression, and I never had the space, funds or time to create the forms of work I wanted to see out there. When I moved from an apartment into a house with a garden, it all changed. I set aside a budget and went into it deep. I'm now painting 2-3 times a week, as much as my other businesses will allow. I'm drawn to the child-like, carefree allure. And I always play on that. My paintings are simple yet intense, bold.
What do you enjoy about it?
I love that there are no rules, just material limitations, and I'm always trying to stretch them. When I'm painting, I'm in a constant state of play. It's definitely a meditative practice. I also love that when I'm painting, I'm not trying to 'sell something' like my other work as a fashion advertising photographer. There is no dress or pair of shoes I'm subconsciously selling that I have to keep in the back of mind while trying to be creative. No. With painting, the 'sell' is always an afterthought.
What inspires your creative practice?
Strong colour & texture, and simplicity. I love seeing confidence & boldness in art.
Tell me about your day-to-day. Where do you live?
I currently live in Vaucluse in Sydney, but we just bought a Spanish mission-style home we are renovating in the Upper North Shore. I normally do emails, paint in the day if I can, and work on images & editing until 1:00-3:00 AM.
So, I am definitely not a morning person! I now find I reward myself with painting time after I achieve an editing goal. Sometimes I edit, then paint, or paint, then edit, but I try to do some of both each day. Some days have become full paint days recently as I currently have a lot of commissions. And there's always a lot of playtime in between with my two girls.
What is exciting for you about the current Australian creative landscape?
Due to Covid, I feel like people have found their passion projects and are now pursuing them relentlessly. We only have so much time in this world, and it's not to be wasted on doing what you don't want to be doing. I'm lucky to now be on my third big passion project in life, painting, while still keeping all three in play. This also helps to fund the huge amounts of paint I use!
How would you describe your personal style?
European minimalism, or over the top loud and proud, depending on the day. I don't like to have brands showing, ever.
Who are some of your favourite designers (local and international)?
Gucci, Fear of God, Givenchy, Acne and Joseph Dirand for interiors.
Is there a piece from your wardrobe that you can't do without?
My soft green 'Fear of God' Fifth collection silk jacket. It makes any outfit extra.
Who are your idols?
Picasso & Steven Miesel.
What or who is currently inspiring your world at the moment?
When I paint, music is a big part of my inspiration, and I only listen to one artist, DJ Rhee, located in Bali. He gives away his one-hour sets for free on his website, and it keeps me in my flow state. You can donate too if you love it. Bali needs it!
Describe your workspace - where is it located, and what do you need around you to feel creatively motivated?
I like to create solo, with loud music playing, connected to my flow state. I don't drink & paint, as I want the connection to be all-encompassing with a clear mind. It's a ritual. I paint canvases inside at night when everyone is asleep, and I paint my concrete works during the afternoon in the garden. They are super messy. We are hoping to make a studio space in the build of the new house. I'm really looking forward to that!
Can you briefly describe the creative process of creating one of your artworks?
It always starts with colour. I might see a colourway in a fashion editorial shoot that I like. An image of a beautiful black model in an orange dress with light shining on the dress bringing out the tones of yellow and orange, inspired a whole orange piece I recently sold. I have recently played best with a solid colour or a maximum of two tones within the same colour to show depth. I feel like this will evolve into mixing some of these tones together, but I'm still obsessed with a solid colour. I then decide on canvas (acrylic) or board (acrylic or cement mix), and then once the tone is mixed, the music starts, and the painting doesn't stop until it looks right. Sometimes it's 17 minutes. Sometimes it's 2-3 hours. I'm very much an in-the-moment do-what-feels-right kind of painter. There's a child-like approach to getting that paint on the surface. It's quick & reactive. Then it dries.
Listen to Henryk’s painting soundtrack >>
If you would like to request a commissioned piece by Henryk please contact customercare@showroom-x.com.
Henryk can customise the colour and size of his painted works to complement your space.
