Andrew Holmes at Plus One Gallery

Ever have the experience where you hated something as a child and then you try it again as an adult and absolutely love it? Well, that is exactly how I felt the first time I walked into Plus One Gallery located just behind Sloane Square. The gallery specializes in realist art – a genre that has never particularly lit my candle. I must have walked by the space at least half a dozen times before I ever walked in and properly looked around. Consequently, it was during my first visit that I realized that I didn’t hate realist art, but in fact liked it enough to want to start collecting it. Which on that very day, I did. The gallery is now in my permanent rotation of London spots. They always have the most amazing shows with the highest quality of works available. Not to mention the owner’s dog is about the cutest thing in the world.

The gallery is currently exhibiting works by Andrew Holmes, one of Britain’s leading realist painters. Holmes uses colored pencils on paper to make his images of trucks and cars come to life. Looking at them, you would never imagine that they were drawn in pencil. In fact, you almost half expect them to drive right off the page. His attention to detail, use of light, reflection, and bright colors is mesmerizing. Trucks never looked so good in the skillful and masterful hands of Andrew Holmes. So the lesson here is to always be open-minded and revisit things that you haven’t liked in the past and give them another chance. You never know what one of life’s little pleasures you may have missed. Check out Andrew Holmes at www.plusonegallery.com.