The Journey of Sharing My Art: My Experience at Holmfirth Artweek
As an artist, the act of creating is an intimate and personal experience. The joy of expressing emotions, thoughts, and stories through my work is unmatched. But there is something uniquely rewarding about sharing that creation with the world. One of the most significant moments in my artistic journey was participating in Holmfirth Artweek 2024—my first exhibition. It marked a pivotal moment where my work moved from my studio and into a shared space, connecting me with a wider audience and sparking new conversations around my art.
Why I Paint People: The Connection Between Art and Humanity
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to people—their faces, their gestures, the way emotions flicker across their expressions. Even before I fully embraced figurative painting, my work often revolved around the eye, that single, intimate detail that holds so much depth. But now, as I step deeper into colour and explore the human figure more fully, I find myself asking: why do I paint people?
The Resurgence of Figurative Art: Why the Human Form is Back in Focus
For a long time, contemporary art was dominated by abstraction—gestural marks, geometric minimalism, and colour fields that left everything open to interpretation. But now, something is shifting. Figurative art—art that represents the human form—is making a powerful comeback, and it’s impossible to ignore.
The Emotional Palette: How Colours Influence Feelings in My Art
For a long time, my work existed in black and white. Stripped of colour, it was all about contrast, form, and texture—letting light and shadow do the storytelling. There was a purity to it, a directness that I loved. But recently, I felt something shifting. A pull towards something richer, something more layered. So, I made a change.
I started working with colour.
At first, it felt like learning a new language—exciting but uncertain. Colour is an entirely different way of thinking, a different way of seeing. Where black and white allowed me to focus on stark, bold compositions, colour introduced a new dimension of emotion and energy. Suddenly, my work wasn’t just about what was being depicted, but how it felt, how it moved, how it resonated through shades and tones.
The Art of Repetition: Why Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Fuels Creativity
Repetition gets a bad reputation. It’s often associated with monotony, stagnation, and a lack of originality. But in art, repetition isn’t a trap—it’s a tool.
Repetition is how we refine skills, develop style, and discover deeper meaning in our work. It’s how artists evolve, musicians master their craft, and writers find their voice. Instead of resisting it, embracing repetition can be one of the most powerful things you do for your creativity.
How to Find Your Artistic Voice (When Everything Feels Done Before)
Ever sat down to create something and thought, What’s the point? Someone else has already done this—probably better, probably with more skill, more recognition, more originality. That little voice in your head whispers: Your work isn’t unique. Your ideas aren’t new. You’re just repeating what’s already out there.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
In a world flooded with content, finding your artistic voice can feel impossible. But here’s the truth: Your voice isn’t about being first. It’s about being you.
Dancing with Time: The Artist’s Most Elusive Medium
Time. It slips through fingers like water, resists capture, and mocks even the most careful plans. For artists, time is more than just a background hum — it’s an invisible collaborator, a constant tension, a onlooker breathing over the shoulder of every creative act. The artist’s process is not only about pencils, paint or clay. It’s also about wrestling with time itself.
