Art diary
At The Ode To we are always curious to learn more about creativity and artistry, so we asked British artist Holly Horton to tell us a little bit about her life, her art and her sources of inspiration.
Holly Horton
Your series of artworks are called August, why is that?
– I began the first of what would become this series of paintings in August 2020, during lockdown, and this month became special and productive.
What inspires you?
– As mentioned, this series began during a period of lockdown. This was a time when I would spend all day, every day holed up in my studio by myself pouring my feelings out onto canvas. Even though it may not be obvious to the observer, I can look back at all the works in this series and remember how I was feeling by the colours used, the style of the brushstrokes, and so on. This is a series of works that came out of a difficult and emotional time in my life, and even though that time has passed, I still return to this series in the way a writer might use a diary.
Can you tell us about your background and how you came to be an artist?
– I started painting in my 20s when I would create decorative items for the home; it wasn't until I was in my early 30s, a few years ago, that I transferred my love of colour and pattern to canvas and paper as my confidence grew. My inspiration comes from artists such as Lee Krasner, for her bold, expressive work, and the way she used colour, as well as her determination to keep evolving and expressing herself.
How would you describe your art and aesthetics in three words?
– Colourful, textural, expressive.
What we love about Holly Horton:
We are in awe of how Holly Horton experiments with colour and texture, reminding us of how art is a way to unlock endless possibilities.
