An artist’s view of Downing
Jo Holdsworth (1985) is an award-winning contemporary artist. Known for her paintings of elongated and reflected figures often in blue and grey tones, Jo’s work has been on book, album and magazine covers and is held in public and private collections. Represented by galleries in London, Devon and Cornwall, Jo’s paintings attract a loyal following and are loved and collected around the world.
Jo has recently painted a picture of Downing which she has kindly donated to the College’s art collection and will soon be on permanent display in one of our buildings.
We caught up with Jo to find out more about her painting of Downing and her journey to becoming a full-time artist.
Please can you tell us a bit more about the background to this painting?
This painting of Downing was created by me for Downing College and is intended to capture the uplifting feeling as you walk into College.
I was an undergraduate at Downing reading Law but in 2017 I switched to becoming a full-time professional artist. This work was painted after a trip to Cambridge in September 2023, which saw the longest September heatwave on record. My atmospheric visit reminded me of my summers in Cambridge as an undergraduate and I could not wait to capture this in paint.
Why did you choose this part of College to paint?
I have always loved this view of College. There is something that almost takes you by surprise when you come through the Porter’s Lodge and walk past the entrance to the East Lodge Garden. You don’t quite expect the beauty and expanse of green to open out in front of you and the contrast of the green manicured lawn with the beautiful pale yellow stone is simply stunning. The combination of the sense of space and the neo-classical architecture is unlike any other college in Cambridge and takes your breath away.
What would you hope people feel when viewing this work?
In essence I hope viewers feel calm, uplifted and maybe also intrigued when looking at this work. The painting intends to invoke both the traditional in that it is a representative, recognisable view of Downing and also have an air of ambiguity. The long-silhouetted figures and their shadows are intended to have an element of mystery about them, so that the viewer may question who the people are and what they are doing. They could be anyone, they could be you.
How long did it take you to complete?
The painting took a few months to complete. I worked on preliminary sketches in Cambridge and took a series of photos and videos in late summer 2023. I worked the sketches up to finalise the composition and think about the light and colours. The final painting was completed in my studio in London this year.
Can you tell us about your journey from Downing to becoming an artist?
Whilst at Downing I was hugely interested in art and design. I designed and drew posters for College productions, regularly visited Kettle’s Yard, dropped in at the Fitzwilliam Museum and sketched. I went to Chester College of Law after Downing and then took six months off to travel around the world, sketching and drawing along the way.
After that I started as a trainee at Linklaters in the City of London. I was there for eight years, qualifying into the Corporate Department and working on Mergers and Acquisitions. Following this I became a Management Consultant and then an Editor. Throughout all this time I loved to paint, sketch and draw. I went to life drawing and painting classes and joined Putney School of Art and Design. Having honed my skills and at a point in my life where I felt I only wanted to paint; I became a full-time professional artist in 2017.
I feel incredibly fortunate to do what I do and feel lucky to have experienced such a varied career encompassing legal, commercial and creative experiences. It feels like my experiences as an undergraduate were formative in my artistic journey and led me to where I am today.
What are your key memories/takeaways from your time at Downing?
My memories of Downing are of a dynamic, fun environment that both challenged and supported me. I learned to be self-sufficient but also formed incredible, strong friendships many of which have endured to this day. I loved meeting new people and trying new things in an environment that taught you as much about yourself as each other. I was in love with the beauty of the place which also felt like a nurturing, supportive environment that allowed you to develop and pursue your own passions and interests as well as having a lot of fun along the way.
What are the next projects that you’ll be working on?
I have some amazing exhibitions lined up during the year including a solo exhibition in London over the summer. I am also working on a new series of paintings inspired by my love of France, and these will be showcased in the autumn. There are various other projects coming up, with my work being licensed in relation to some interesting new ventures. It feels like there is never a dull moment in my art life for sure.
Find out more details about Jo Holdsworth’s latest show.
You can also view more of Jo’s work on her website.
Published 28 June 2024