David Hollington


"Animals and birds are messengers, healers and protagonists within the narrative structure of my paintings.

"I feel closely connected to forms of Shamanism where a channel is opened between the human world and the world of animals.  I can't control this process when I am drawing, objects that are undetermined, shift and change shape until I begin to understand what the message is that I am receiving.  At this point a key animal will appear and take the lead, this will be one of my trinity - the fox, the hare or the owl (often white).  Once the animal or bird has taken the lead it will engender the possibility of including a mortal or god, sometimes a Hindu or Celtic deity.  Then the tone of the painting will crystallise, this can take a considerable time, sometimes months, but once it does I begin to see in colour and feel the time of day the story is taking place.

"Obviously folk stories, songs and myths have a huge influence in creating a contextual framework around the more mutable elements within the process of creating a painting.

"Recently a larger spectrum of British garden birds have been making their presence felt.  Everything that happens in my studio is a direct response to the life outside of it, be that birds and foxes teeming in my garden or travel to wild places in Scotland, Ireland or Iceland.  If there is a larger theme then that would be the need to listen to and nurture the natural world, there is a very fine balance and humanity can tip the scales.

"An animal or bird is loaded with many more meanings than I bring to its ancient shape, it becomes a cypher once it has left my hands and alchemically, I would hope, opens an emotional frequency in each individual viewer."

David studied at Harrow School of Art and at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London.

See David's 2011 Rowley Gallery Christmas card here.

Solo Exhibitions

2024
The Cat Becomes A Fountain & Other Stories, Rowley Gallery, London
2023
Hollington's Florilegium, The Rowley Gallery, London
2021
Hollington's Florilegium, The Rowley Gallery, London

2017/18
Ear To The Ground, La Macchina Fissa, Mantua, Italy
2014
Fierce Symmetry / Dear Zeus, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2013
Stay For The Rain, Penny Fielding Gallery, Walthamstow
Apocalypse Of Love, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2010
Saint Kilda, Saint Krishna, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2009
Animal Messengers, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2008, 2007
Gallery 39, London

Group Exhibitions

2015
Hexagon Group, Espacio Gallery, London
2009
Christmas Show, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
2007
Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Award, Mall Galleries, London

  • A Is For Aquilegia by David Hollington
  • All As One by David Hollington
  • B Is For Borage by David Hollington
  • C Is For Cerinthe by David Hollington
  • Cat's Cradle by David Hollington
  • Comfort by David Hollington
  • Comfort 2 by David Hollington
  • D Is For Dahlia by David Hollington
  • Duet (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • E Is For Eremurus by David Hollington
  • Endpaper For Hollington's Florilegium by David Hollington
  • F Is For Fritillary by David Hollington
  • Family by David Hollington
  • Freshwater Pearl by David Hollington
  • G Is For Gladiolus by David Hollington
  • Gift by David Hollington
  • Gratitude by David Hollington
  • Guests by David Hollington
  • H Is For Hellebore by David Hollington
  • Healing Place by David Hollington
  • Hollington's Florilegium by David Hollington
  • I Is For Ipomoea by David Hollington
  • I Promise by David Hollington
  • Ikon by David Hollington
  • J Is For Jasminum by David Hollington
  • Jig Of Life (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • K Is For Kniphofia by David Hollington
  • Kongungur by David Hollington
  • L Is For Lobelia by David Hollington
  • M Is For Monarda by David Hollington
  • Magus by David Hollington
  • Mahabindu by David Hollington
  • Medea by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Badger by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Black Cat by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Centaur by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Dervish by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Fox by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Hare by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Hedgehog by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Imagi-moth by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Mermaid by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Narcissus by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Owl by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Owl Griffin by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Saint (Siva) by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Siamese Cat by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: St Francis by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Unicorn by David Hollington
  • Miniatures Series: Whirling Dervish by David Hollington
  • N Is For Nicotiana Tinkerbell by David Hollington
  • Nativity by David Hollington
  • O Is For Onopordum Acanthium by David Hollington
  • Old Bouchart's Song (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • P Is For Polemonium by David Hollington
  • Pipe & Drum (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • Q Is For Quince Tree by David Hollington
  • R Is For Rudbeckia by David Hollington
  • Return To Earth by David Hollington
  • S Is For Sambucus Nigra by David Hollington
  • Shanty (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • Siren by David Hollington
  • Small World by David Hollington
  • Spiritual Alchemy / Calcination by David Hollington
  • Spiritual Alchemy / Coagulation by David Hollington
  • Spiritual Alchemy / Dissolution by David Hollington
  • Spiritual Alchemy / Fermentation by David Hollington
  • Spiritual Alchemy / Separation (Self Portrait As An Old Goat) by David Hollington
  • T Is For Tulipa by David Hollington
  • The Maker by David Hollington
  • The Sun & The Moon (Rowley Song Cycle) by David Hollington
  • Tryst by David Hollington
  • U Is For Urginea Maritima by David Hollington
  • V Is For Verbascum Thapsus by David Hollington
  • W Is For Wisteria by David Hollington
  • Winter's Herald by David Hollington
  • Wish by David Hollington
  • X Is For Cross/Hybrid by David Hollington
  • Y Is For Year by David Hollington
  • Young Gods by David Hollington
  • Z Is For Zinnia by David Hollington