Colour theory
ARTIST ASHLEIGH HOLMES UNRAVELS THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOUR TO REIMAGINE THE PLACES WE CALL HOME
When the world went quiet during 2020’s global pandemic lockdown, abstract expressionist artist Ashleigh Holmes discovered a new way to lend a voice to her canvas. “It all happened during isolation; I was really curious as to why particular colours affect the way we feel,” she explains. “I began studying an online course on ‘The Psychology of Colour Symbolism,’ [and learned] it’s about picking tones that can radiate a more natural, calming aura, and put people in a space of contentment rather than a conflict.”
Her latest sold-out show, titled ‘This Must be the Place’, which debuted online earlier this year, alludes to the sense of stillness and gratitude she found in isolation at her light-filled studio in Sydney’s northern beaches. “I’ve been utilising this time to create some pieces that are based around places that I have been. I want [my work] to transport the viewer to that space.”
Capturing place and time has long been an influence for Ashleigh, whose abstract, unrefined paintings are inspired by the natural landscape. A fourth-generation artist, she often reflects on the many stories that have been passed down by her grandmother, Glenys. “She painted a lot of traditional Australian landscapes,” she recalls. “There weren’t as many photographers back then, so the artists at the time were trying to replicate what was actually being viewed. She has some incredible stories about painting with Australian artist, Lloyd Rees.” Now, a world away from the artistic era of her grandmother’s work,
Ashleigh’s abstract portrayal of the natural land, which she brings to life with soft, earthy pastels, proves that realism isn’t always the clearest lens for capturing a moment.
The artist first honed her brush skills in her spare time while working as a national sales manager at Australian fashion label Maurie and Eve. It wasn’t until her boss came across a series of her paintings on Instagram that she began to pursue her painting full-time. “[My boss] understood that you need to allow time and space to be creative and encouraged me to focus on my art,” she says.
Four years later and she’s working full-time from what she describes as her “messy” studio, painting to the growling beat of ’90s grunge music: a startling contrast to the soft, dreamy canvases that are scattered across the entire
“MY WORK IS BUILT UP OF LAYERS UPON LAYERS, THE MORE YOU LOOK INTO IT THE MORE DEPTH YOU WILL SEE” ~ Ashleigh
space. “[My process] starts with a canvas on the floor,” explains Ashleigh, who creates her works using a combination of acrylic and oil paints. “The first few layers are the most important because they set the tone for the piece.”
Today, her work has been widely received, both as a finalist in the prestigious Mosman Art Prize and on the sun-soaked shores of the Mediterranean, where she debuted at a group show in Marbella, Spain last year. “It was really surreal because very few people spoke English in Marbella, which made it hard to articulate what my abstract pieces were about,” says Ashleigh, humbled by the idea that when silence falls, she can let the colours talk.