Let Nature See Within by Ash Holmes

Ash Holmes’ new collection reflects on our ability to see nature as an extension of ourselves.

Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: India Hartford Davis

Let Nature See Within is Sydney-based artist, Ash Holmes’ latest collection of abstract paintings that was first inspired by artist Mark Rothko’s philosophy of ‘not seeing out into the world, but seeing within’. The artist saw these new paintings as a way to connect with her environment in Australia and to reconnect herself within her art practice during the pressures of COVID-19 lockdowns. 

“This series is about reflecting within rather than looking outward onto the world,” says Ash. “It’s about how places and our environment can change us and how we empathise with the land.”

To do this, Ash incorporates her studies in colour psychology to engage her audience into a deeper connection to her art; ones that capture the feelings of places, like raw umber of the Australian earth. The landscape is also mirrored in the texture of the works, as line and colour evoke the energy of the artist and her links to the world around her. 

“Being in the studio is the place where I can transcend and practise, I’m very grateful for this space and feel without it in COVID I wouldn’t have felt whole,” says Ash Holmes. Photo - India Hartford Davis courtesy of State of Escape.

Palette perfection in Ash Holmes’ studio. Photo - India Hartford Davis courtesy of State of Escape.

“I’m using tones that reflect certain sensory effect to capture feelings of places. For example, raw umber, which is a reddish tone that feels grounding, reliable and earthy, much like the land itself in Australia.”

“This series is about reflecting within rather than looking outward onto the world,” says Ash Holmes. Photo - India Hartford Davis courtesy of State of Escape.

“In this collection, I’ve used tones that reflect certain sensory effect to capture feelings of places,” shares Ash. Photo - India Hartford Davis courtesy of State of Escape.

Let Nature See Within features compositions with larger block colours which, Ash shares, allows for more breathing space in the paintings. This balance between abstract expressionism and minimalism reveals the structure of time and the artist’s emotion; each gesture exposing a union of human touch, and a welcome reminder to breathe and take time to ourselves. 

Working across the floor with sheets of canvas invites interconnectivity between each combination, occasionally joining more than one canvas for each frame. With names like ‘River Echoes’, ‘Ode to Dusk’, and ‘Earth’s Body’, they do more than join together, but reach out to inspire a new way of viewing our environments. 

COVID-19 lockdowns have given the artist more time to slow down and be in the studio every day working on pieces. “It’s made me more experimental and productive with new compositions,” Ash adds. “I’m looking forward to sharing these pieces; they feel very close to my heart.”

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This article is proudly sponsored by the Northern Beaches Council as part of the series ‘Documenting Art in the Time of Corona.’ More information about the project can be found here.