Martha Holmes' new collection captures the everchanging forms and colours of the Penwith landscape. Painted predominately in spring, these works draw on the vibrant greens and blues of the coastline, pairing those unwavering Cornish colours with the soft pinks, ochres and cadmium yellows of the season.
Together, her palette and the elegant simplicity of her compositions reflect the radiance and spaciousness of the Penwith Peninsula. Martha's landscape paintings are accompanied by a series of works inspired by quiet moments in the studio. They are drawn from vases of seasonal flowers picked from a Cornish garden: bright nasturtiums, tulips and fresh green foliage are paired with bowls of fruit, arranged in classic still life compositions but interpreted in her distinctly abstract style.
Martha's practice draws on the deep connection she feels to the light and landscape of Cornwall, where she grew up. Inspired by Cornish Masters Patrick Heron, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and William Scott, she uses colour and expressive mark to reflect to the scale and structure of the land, whilst referencing Cornwall's rich tradition of abstract art.