BIOGRAPHY

Paul Holt was born in Yorkshire, England and lives presently in Ascona, Switzerland.

He first trained as a draftsman in engineering, then spent one year at art school, before training as a teacher of religious studies.

At the age of 25, he went with his Swiss wife to continental Europe where he worked and studied in France, Germany and Italy. While working as an English teacher, he devoted himself over many years to the development of his painting.   

He also writes poetry, philosophical works and essays on the arts and on contemporary art.

STATEMENT

“Art should be a constant source of aesthetic enjoyment.” (Hans Hofmann)

“Art is the longing for God.” (Alexej von Jawlensky)

Paul Holt uses his drawing skills, feeling for colour, and his sense of composition in his attempt to express transcendence.

Great influences have been Medieval and Byzantine art, early Renaissance, Expressionism, Fauvism, and Zen painting.

The greatest modern influence has been Vassily Kandinsky. The idea for a painting emerges in the head but is painted from the soul. It should not just be a decorative and pretty picture but should speak to the human soul.

He paints in oils, watercolours and gouache. All the materials he uses are of high quality, Rembrandt oil paint on fine cotton canvas or Canson oil painting paper; for his watercolours and gouache he uses Talens gouache and Windsor & Newton watercolours on Hahnemühle, Canson or Fabriano fine grain watercolour paper.

All paintings are original artworks and are unmounted and unframed.