Tula Holmes the Artist
I have had the benefit of studying painting with incredible artists. From these wonderful instructors I have merged many styles of painting to form my own unique, eclectic style.
From Ned Mueller, John Budicin, George Strickland, Stan Miller and Jim Lamb, I learned how to capture light and color quickly, and create artistic compositions from any outdoor landscape. I am a hiker and a gardener. I have found no better way to be one with nature than to paint it.
With Henry Stinson, Dan Thompson, Michele Rushworth, Tenaya Sims, Ned Mueller and Robert Liberace, I fell in love with figure painting. I especially love the connection between me as an artist and the models I paint.
Painting Still Life with Jeff Legg, Robert Johnson and Cary Jurriaans taught me the magic of creating beautiful art from simple objects. I studied iconography and medieval art in graduate school at Duke University. With symbols and visual metaphors, my paintings become stories.
It was Henry Stinson who taught me how to find and paint the rich and vibrant colors in life. Studying with Henry transformed my art.
It was Paton Miller who gave me the permission to experiment and break free through art. Paton would encourage me to, “Crawl out on the end of the limb… then to jump off.” Paton is my Yoda.
Art for me is neither a career nor a hobby. It is who I am. It is the way for the philosopher in me to express my feelings about the beauty I see. Beauty, of course, is found in the shimmering snowfields of a mountain or in a petal of a rose. But what I love most is to paint unexpected beauty. The beautiful faces of people in need.
I hope you can feel the beauty of my paintings.
If an original painting has been sold, reproductions are available on aluminum. Pricing depends on size and shipping location. Inquire for details.
Tula Holmes the Author
I received my MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University in 2013. Prior to beginning my MFA, I traveled to Burundi, Africa. At the time, it was the poorest country on the globe. I worked at an orphanage located in the mountains, east of the capitol of Bujumbura. That trip changed my life.
Emma Walton Hamilton, my Children's Literature instructor, showed me the power of Y/A fiction. Emma became my thesis advisor. Patricia McCormick and Anna Orchard became my readers. Country of Orphans became my story.
While at Stony Brook Southampton, I had the advantage of studying with many talented writers. Each instructor inspired my craft, and with their help, my literary toolbox grew.
From Jules Feiffer I learned the art of humor writing. From Robert Ginna, travel writing as literature. From Melissa Bank, the short story. From David Rakoff, the essay. Studying with Ursula Hegi, I lived in Florence and immersed myself into a long tradition of talented writers. I studied poetry with Julie Sheehan, feature writing with Andrew Botsford, and Screen Writing with Annette Handley Chandler. From Roger Rosenblatt I discovered the excitement of creativity without boundaries. The influence of all of these wonderful teachers can be seen in my work.
Country of Orphans is currently with Brandt and Hochman Literary Agents, Inc. in New York City.