Christopher Allen Henry

Cowley Abbott Auction House Biography and Notes

Christopher Allen Henry, born 1954 in Belfast, Ireland, is an Irish-Canadian post-war and contemporary artist known for his vibrant, colourful oil paintings. His work, which spans from portraits to landscapes, is deeply influenced by his mother's spiritual devotion and the tribal ancestry of both his parents. These elements are often reflected in the dynamic quality of his art, capturing both personal and cultural narratives. During his late teen and young adult years, Henry worked with notable Canadian artists, including Yudon Stanton and Ada Torrence, who greatly influenced the skills he applied in his later works. For example, his depictions of natural scenes, such as northern pine trees, showcase this development. Henry immigrated to Toronto from Orillia in 1957, and although he never attended art school, his first exhibition was presented by the Young Fox Gallery in Toronto. His solo exhibition in 1987, titled Children of the Sun: Discovering My People, marked a significant milestone in his career. Today, Christopher Allen Henry exhibits across North America and Ireland. Over the past 32 years, his prominent works have been held in the collections of former Premiers and Prime Ministers of Canada, the University of Toronto, the Art Gallery of Mississauga (permanent collection), BMO Harris Private Banking in Toronto, Compdisc in Chicago, Cinco Peñas in Vaughan, and Deloitte Touche in Toronto.