The arts, painting, poetry, literature, music were the content in Paul's life.

BIOGRAPHY

Paul Holt was born in Yorkshire, England in 1948 and lived in Ascona, Switzerland.

He first trained as a draftsman in engineering, then spent one year at art school, before training as a teacher of English and 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 to the development of his painting. Up to 2025, he only painted for himself, and then decided to develop his own website.

He loved poetry and also enjoyed writing poems. Paul sadly passed away in autumn 2025. Today, his wife carries forward Paul’s artistic legacy.

STATEMENT

The idea for a painting emerges in the head but is painted from the soul.

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

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

Paul used 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.

And his greatest modern influence have been Wassily Kandinsky, Matisse and E.L. Kirchner.

Paul painted in oil, aquarell and gouache, also in Indian ink on Japanese paper. All the materials he used are of the highest quality, Rembrandt oil paint on fine cotton canvas or Canson oil painting paper; for aquarell and gouache he used Talens gouache and Windsor & Newton aquarell colours on Hahnemühle, Canson or Fabriano fine grain watercolour paper.

Middle-aged Paul Holt wearing a checkered shirt and a dark jacket.

Paul 2022