A close cropped, large scale close up of a red Camellia against a deep, textured background. This piece is built up over weeks with multiple layers of glazes to create the glowing effect of the petals emanating from the darkness. The surrounding edges are textured to give a contrasting feel, representing the concrete harshness of the city that the flower has grown in against the soft smoothness of the petals. For me, the camellia indicates the start of Spring, as they’re always amongst the first flowers I see in my east London neighbourhood gardens, signalling the end of a long cold London winter and the emergence of an abundance of urban wildlife for the next few months at least. While not originally native to the UK, Camellias are actually beneficial for our birds, bees and butterflies, in particular during the colder months.

Dom Holmes

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My name is Dom Holmes. I am a queer, non binary multi-media artist living in East London with my wife and our beautiful senior beagle. I am a self-taught painter, working with traditional oil painting methods and minimal materials, specifically using glazes and colour theory to build depth and intensity of colour with the fewest pigments possible. My work reflects my ongoing fascination with the human connection to nature within an urban environment. My paintings depict botanical life found in city settings, and the relevance of seasonal wildlife and community amidst late-stage capitalism and the current climate crisis. I’m currently working on a series inspired by non indigenous and invasive plant-life and the impact on the environment, ecosystem and community. While I have been painting with oils as my primary practice since 2019, I have been an artist for over 20 years working across various mediums. You may know, recognise or even have some of my other work without even realising it. Throughout the years, my background in pen and ink drawing and tattooing has seen me collaborate with brands and companies, including designing the Royal Mint’s commemorative 50 pence piece, celebrating 50 years of Pride in the UK.