For Dalston Holmes, art began with a paintbrush, a blank canvas, and the simple desire to create.
Originally from New Brunswick and now calling Calgary home, she is an entirely self-taught artist whose journey began more than 30 years ago. With no formal training, she learned through curiosity, patience, countless hours of practice, and the courage to try something new.
Her work is as varied as the world that inspires it. From sweeping landscapes and intimate wildlife portraits to large-scale murals, she finds beauty in both the smallest details and the grandest scenes. Her style moves freely between abstract expression and striking hyperrealism, guided not by rules or expectations, but by wherever her imagination takes her.
What makes her work personal is the spirit behind it. Every painting begins with a feeling, a fascination, or a moment worth holding onto. Some invite you to look closer. Others ask you to step back and simply feel.
More than three decades after picking up that first brush, she continues to paint for the same reason she started: the joy of bringing something to life that didn't exist before.
And perhaps that's the beauty of being self-taught. Her art has never been about following someone else's path. It's always been about discovering her own.