Ben Wakeling

From Studio to Site is a series that takes a closer look at artworks chosen for client projects - beginning in the artist’s studio for an intimate look at their creative process, before exploring how the pieces come to life in their final setting.

For this feature we spotlight London based artist Ben Wakeling, exploring his practice and inspirations before visiting Chapter London Bridge, where his vibrant large scale works have been installed.

Ben’s background in graffiti and street art shapes a style that moves fluidly between figuration and abstraction. Figures often exist beneath semi-opaque layers of paint or entangled within webs of gestural marks. His use of spray paint carries the immediacy and rhythm of the street directly onto the canvas, capturing both movement and emotion.

His work is instinctive and deeply personal. At the heart of his practice is a belief in the transformative power of art for wellbeing and self expression. Drawing on his experience as an art therapist and artist-in-residence with the NHS, he explores how painting can provide a space for reflection, healing, and connection. Each brushstroke becomes a form of release - a reminder of art’s ability to communicate what words cannot.

At Chapter London Bridge, two of his paintings ‘London in Autumn’ and ‘London City Love Notes’, fill the space with colour and emotion inspired by the pulse of the city. Onsite, Ben reflects on the inspirations behind his work, from the ever-changing moods of London to the influence of his mother, offering a glimpse into the stories that shape his art.