Growing up, Jammie Holmes was his family’s de facto portrait artist. But he saw art as a hobby not a career path for a young black kid from Thibodaux – an “old slave town” still shackled by racism, poverty and violence. When he started making art again in his thirties, Jammie realised that it was precisely his upbringing that set his work apart. Uncle (2019) represents “the essence of this man who was beat up by America.” Jammie captures his hometown in the same light – downtrodden but still defiantly alive. He says, “I try depicting what life is like in Thibodaux so others from my home can re...
Bio
Jammie Holmes (he/him) was born in 1984 in Thibodaux, Louisiana. He lives and works in Dallas, Texas.
Art Therapy
Jammie says going to therapy made him a better artist. It helped him reckon with both his past and himself – “That’s where all the self-portraits came from in 2021. I finally felt and understood what my therapist was telling me: “Just face it, face yourself.” I started painting these portraits and it was a time when I was finally looking myself in the eye.”
