Damien Kamholtz

Damien Kamholtz

Line and colour shape a narrative to challenge and enthrall the viewer. His works are built up from many layered glazes creating veils of soft shadows masking forgotten images. Painted with assured delicacy his works have a lyrical quality allowing the decorative to blend with a profound figurative presence

Damien Kamholtz was born in Gove, Northern Territory, where he spent the first six years of life before the family moved to Queensland. He currently lives in Toowoomba working as an art teacher and tutor. Being involved in 'Arts in Health' he has also been instrumental in establishing and co-ordinating local community art groups such as 'Play on Play' and the 'Yellow House Art Group'.

Damien is a prolific painter with a strong interest and focus on art and its relationship to the landscape. Through travel around our ancient land, he has discovered and sought to express the parallels between indigenous cultures in a traditional and contemporary sense. His art is an attempt to communicate to the heart and spirit, rather than our intellect - painterly images comprising of subtle and suggestive combinations of nature’s organised and abstract shapes, entwined in universal and personal symbolism that incorporate suggested faces, figures and totemic animals.

In 2004 Damien travelled around Australia to paint and conduct workshops in small and rural communities. He also participated in an artist in residence in East Java in July 2004.

So it is of no surprise that Damien has already won numerous awards, some of the more recent include:

2007 - Finalist in the Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship

2005 - Finalist in the Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship

2004 - Awarded 'Artist in Residence', Java, Indonesia

2003 - 'Patrons Choice', Toowoomba Art Society

2003 - 'Most Promising Young Artist' Biennial Acquisitive Art Competition, Crows Nest Regional

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