The Mirrored Manoeuvre
Carole Howlett
The Mirrored Manoeuvre [detail] 2026
Self-portrait
Oil on canvas
91 x 60 cm
About the Artwork
My concept for this self-portrait stemmed from visiting the National Portrait Gallery in London early last year. On viewing the diverse renditions and approaches, I felt inspired to attempt my own portrait focusing on the play of light through my studio window. It was confronting and challenging to represent a simple and honest painting without much attention to detail, while also trying to pursue a likeness.
I chose to include the teapot as a nod to the painting by Harold Gillman in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. I was transfixed with this portrait, which included a tea set in the foreground, almost beckoning the viewer to linger. This painting spurred my interest in becoming an artist, and I always make a point to see it when I visit the UK.
About the Artist
Carole Howlett gained her Diploma and BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s, before moving to Townsville. In the early 2000s, she completed numerous commissions, mostly for Terry O Toole, Art Collector, Tropical Architects.
In more recent years, she has won several Townsville Art Society Awards (including the Open Award 2021, 2023, 2024), and in 2025, she had a solo exhibition at The Drill Hall Studio titled Urban Angles, focusing on the urban landscape.