Created with layers of oil glazes on a deep canvas, this piece depicts a small white butterfly approaching a magenta camellia against a deep ombré background. The scene, taken from an east London residential street in spring 2021 during the covid lockdown, presents an image of spring blooming in a hopeful and optimistic way. The ombré background blends from deep alizarin crimson through to near black, enhancing the lightness of the subject matter. The piece is created using minimal pigments, reflecting the importance of minimising waste and excess in these times of climate crisis.

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.