IF Lars Fredriksson’s working life is his ‘yin’ then his art is his ‘yang’.

The Swedish abstract painter currently has an exhibition at Warrington Museum which he put together to reflect on his six months in the town. Lars, an industrial engineer, arrived in Warrington in September as project manager for Swedish company Duni, which has a site in Preston Brook.

The 33-year-old used his pastime as an artist to help him relax after stressful moments at work.

He said: “I need this as a balance for my professional life as an engineer and a project manager. That is really important to me. I like minimalistic, abstract images. They make me feel relaxed and I would be very satisfied if my work made other people feel relaxed.”

The exhibition is called Boundlessness and it is about never losing courage in the face of adversity. Lars, who works with charcoal and spray-paint, said the display means a lot to him emotionally but beyond that he prefers the work to speak for itself. There are nine pieces on display at the museum until April 22.

Lars, from Malmö in southern Sweden, also came to Warrington’s defence after the damning 2015 Royal Society of Arts (RSA) heritage report which rated the town as the least cultural place in the country. Since then the town’s RSA has improved and there is even a borough council bid for Warrington to become 2021 City of Culture.

Lars, who has been exhibiting his work for the past 10 years, added: “I got to know the museum staff and I think they do admirable work. I also came to the town when the Contemporary Arts Festival was on and I went to see Warrington director Helen Walsh’s film with a Q&A afterwards.

“So I think Warrington’s cultural offering is really good. The challenge is reaching out to people and also the competition in Manchester and Liverpool is really tough.”

Lars also experienced Warrington culture of a different kind when he watched a game at Halliwell Jones Stadium.

He said: “It was a cool experience. I didn’t understand the rules but I liked the atmosphere. I thought since I’m here in Warrington I have to see at least one game.

“I’ve liked being here and I feel like I’ve been a part of ‘real England’. It’s a working northern town. Being part of a society for six months is a privilege. It’s helped me develop as a person and I’ve been inspired as an artist.”