Artist Donna Holmes, whose extraordinary display of creatures created in fabric has put a smile on the faces of visitors to Southsea Library, says she was inspired by a difficult childhood. Peter Gruner reports.
Her sculptures include Raynard Fox – who she describes as a retired headmaster who lives in a library – Luna Hare, a friend of Raynard, and Thelma Deer.
Donna, 49, who teaches fine art to children at The Art Academy Portsmouth, based at the Victory Business Centre in Fratton, grew up in Surrey. She was in and out of foster care until being placed in a children’s home until she was nineteen.
‘When I studied Art A-level my teachers took me under their wing a little bit, making sure I worked hard to achieve a high grade, I really wanted to go to art school. I got a place but I couldn’t get funding, the social services encouraged me to work full-time instead so I deferred.’
To earn money she worked for six years in a centre caring for the elderly who suffered with severe dementia, and loved the work.
Today she is supported by Portsmouth City Council’s community organisation, We Create, who put her in touch with Southsea Library. Her colourful front window display at the library delights visitors and stops many passers-by in their tracks.
She first sketches her characters, then finds material and cuts them into shape. Then everything is sewn together before being tightly stuffed, often using wire armature to support the shapes. Donna enjoys creating anthropomorphic characters using a range of different media, she loves using natural products such as real deer antlers and she eco dyes her own fabrics using natural earth pigments. She uses paperclay for some of her animal heads too.
Donna, who is inspired by books including Wind In The Willows, is married to Paul. They have three children aged 26, 21 and 19.
Photograph by Jennie Gruner.
