Naomi Tomkys

Naomi Tomkys OBE lives and works in Cambridgeshire. She grew up in London where she attended Central St. Martins School of Art. Tomkys has shown in a wide range of group shows and one-man shows both nationally and internationally including The Mall Gallery, Sak and Catto Contemporary in London and in exhibitions and collections as far afield as Texas and Dubai. She also exhibits regularly with the Cambridge Drawing Society and Open Studios.

Tomkys’ influences are eclectic and range from the classism of Botticelli to humanity of Hopper to the narrative structures of Rego. Each reflects her own interests in dynamic composition, nostalgic and telling stories of moments in time.
Nostalgia plays a significant part in Tomkys’ work, not as sentimentality but as a short cut to cultural connections. Nostalgia presents as a child wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt on a school trip on a school trip, or jar of Nutella or a group of older Cambridge men wearing the same straw Panama hats as soon as the sun comes out.

Inspiration comes from the day to day moments that make her smile. Tomkys engages with a broad range of subject matter from iconic punters and picnickers to circus high wire acts. Tomkys portrays a world of authenticity reflecting th...

Education & Awards

1998/9 Central St. Martins
2021 Arts Council Award, Developing Creative Practice for new series 'Queuing, ice-cream and snogs’
2022 European Fine Art Award, Art Vue Foundation (Special mention).
2023 Slade School Experimental painting (short course)
2023 Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award
2024 Portrait Painting Masterclass with Anastasia Pollard (Art East Anglia)
2024 Portrait Painting Masterclass with Patrick Byrnes (Art East Anglia)

2024 'Life at Fitzbilies' One man show
2024 Translating Science Through Art 2024
2023 Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust recipient
2023 Stapleford Granary, Cambridge, one-man show
2023 European Fine Art Award, Art Vue Foundation Yearly Prize 2022 (Special mention)
2022 Open Studios, Cambridge
2022 Arts Council Award - Developing Creative Practice for new series 'Queuing, ice-cream and snogs’
2022 Cambridge Drawing Society Exhibition (group)
2021 Arts Council Award - Developing Creative Practice for series 'Queuing, ice-cream and snogs’
2020 Group Show Creative Reactions, Cambridge

10-year break from painting (my son became unwell)

2010 Group Show, Art Liberating Lives, Mall Gallery
2010 Group Show Birdhouse Gallery, Texas USA
2010 Group Show Luxury Good VI, London
2009 Group Show Icetwice, Bucks, UK ‘The Big Ballet’
2009 Group Show Needhams Autumn Show
2007 Group Show Royal Society of British Artists Exhibition, Mall Gallery London.
2007 Group Show 21st Century Art, Vancouver USA (Jury international award)
2002 One man show Chilli, Birmingham
2002 Group show Eastern Open ...