Andrew Holmes Artist CV
At the heart of Andrew Holmes’ paintings lies an interest in aesthetics and a curiosity in how we experience and appreciate art. He is a British figurative artist working with still life, landscape Read more
and the human figure, influenced by modernism and contemporary painting. To explore the aesthetic response to a painting, Andrew works with varied subjects including imagery we associate with sensual appeal and satisfaction. His still life paintings, in particular, play on our relationship with food, each piece becoming a metaphor for pleasure and temptation.
Andrew’s background in illustration has a clear influence on his approach to painting. The compositions of his still life food portraits places the focus on the subject within a minimal background. This removes any reference to a narrative and is important to Andrew’s method. His intention is for only the subject to contain all the relevant information for an individual interpretation. Perhaps this may refer to a time and place while enjoying a chocolate cake. Whichever food it is, the paintings offer the viewer a personal relationship with each one.
Andrew’s life in the visual arts began with an Art Degree in Cornwall before moving to London in 1980 where he collaborated as a freelance illustrator on a wide range of projects across design, advertising, TV and film. Taking his experience and a broad perspective on the arts, he returned to painting in 2008 and in 2020 he furthered his education with a Post Graduate Diploma Distinction in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts, UAL.
Andrew’s work has been recognised in curated exhibitions and awards. Notably, he was a recipient of the ING Discerning Eye ‘Meynell Fenton Prize’. His paintings have been featured in group and solo shows across the UK, USA, at international art fairs and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. His contributions to the visual arts are also highlighted in the Aesthetica Art Prize Anthology and the ‘Future Now’ exhibition in both 2020 and 2024. Andrew’s art is found in both private and corporate collections.