Tina Holley was told at school that art wasn’t for her. At that time abstraction and impressionism were all the rage and Tina’s interest in realism meant a firm pair of hands steered her away from art to Latin and Ancient Greek. So no art for Tina as she deemed herself talentless until her mid forties when home-educating two brilliant children meant access and excuse to play with paint, which she found she really enjoyed. And so, fortunately, did other people leading to her selling the third painting she completed and having her first solo exhibition six months after picking up a paintbrush.
That was almost thirty years ago and now Tina still has a gallery in North Wales where she lived for over 30 years, painting awards to her name, a commendation from the Royal Academy in London and her watercolours hang in collections around the world. She has had exhibitions in Europe and the USA and in Oct. 2016 she completed a residency in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona (which was brilliant !!)
In February 2017 Tina and Frank, Tina’s husband of 49 years and her partner in crime, moved up to Hawick, where they have been delighted by the welcome and the landscape in equal measure. Pre Covid 19 lockdown Tina was full steam ahead, painting new watercolours for a number of exhibitions including Dawyck Botanical Garden. Since life opened up again she has published her first book – ‘A Brush with Fantasy’ short stories inspired by some of her paintings which is also available at Bodnant Garden. Tina is delighted to say she has no idea what might come next.
View the print collections to explore the extensive body of Tina's work.
Read more about Tina's work and exhibitions Original paintings
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