Red Iris Painting

Dom Holmes is an emerging British painter and mixed-media artist currently living and working in east London. Their work has shown in exhibitions and art fairs across the UK, the US and Europe. Dom’s work is primarily concerned with themes of nature, in particular as a vehicle for exploring spirituality, identity and ego. Their work is constantly developing through different techniques, methods and inspirations. Their oil painting practice evolved from a period of self-directed study beginning in 2017, and has led to their principal focus of traditional fine art methods of painting and print-making, and subverting lowbrow art forms inspired by their career in tattooing and design. Dom’s strong ongoing interests lie in minimal colours, depth and darkness, ego and sensuality. Dom collects images and references from urban environments - from community planters, neighbourhood gardens, open spaces, council-run parks, roadsides and windowsills - and elevates them in extreme close ups against deep, dark backgrounds to highlight the value and importance of local, seasonal wildlife and community in times of climate crisis. Pieces are built up with multiple layers of oil glazes using minimal pigments and tones, culminating in a velvety surface interrupted with purposeful, smooth brush strokes. The close-cropped compositions determine the power and strength held by the subjects often considered soft and delicate. The evolution of the colour schemes and textures is allowed to emerge naturally through the layering of glazes, and subtle abstractions evolve organically from the figurative depiction. The final layers determine and solidify the textures, mood and depth. Their current works are focusing on indigenous plantlife and the importance of these native species above non-indigenous species, inspired by diverse landscapes including LA, Las Vegas, Montreal, Puglia and Jaipur. Dom’s approach to their paintings is inspired by a diverse roster of creatives and movements including Carravagio, Eugene Delacroix, Ernst Haeckel, Hokusai, and Georgia O’Keefe amongst many others. In 2022 Dom was named Most Inspiring Contemporary Artist at the LuxLife Awards. In 2023 their work White Peony won the Audience Choice Award at the Swanfall Art ‘Through the Looking Glass’ exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries.