JONO DRY

Jono Dry is a self-taught artist from Pretoria, South Africa, and currently residing in Cape Town.

Dry creates large-scale, realistic drawings that explore notions of isolation, loneliness, and regrowth. He blends hyperrealism with surrealism to create visually and emotionally engaging pieces that are influenced by Dry’s own feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Small moments of irreverence provide brief reprieve. Dry works intuitively, often discovering deeper meanings and coincidences in his art years after their creation. 

“Through my art, I seek to bridge these personal challenges and connect with others who might feel similarly. My drawings often depict intense emotional landscapes, attempting to shine light on the things that hide in the shadows. Small moments of irreverence provide brief reprieve from the sometimes disturbing subject matter.”

Throughout Dry’s works, there are recurring motifs such as kudu horns*, flowers and plants, hummingbirds, and bandages each symbolizing a different facet of his journey.  The kudu horns represent resilience and strength, flowers and plants signify growth and healing, hummingbirds evoke a sense of fleeting beauty and joy, and bandages hint at the ongoing process of emotional recovery. These elements intertwine, creating a visual narrative that reflects both the fragility and the resilience of the human spirit.

Dry often spends months on a piece of work because of his commitment to perfection and intricate planning. He also shares his creative process and techniques through social media and educational videos, fostering a community of artists and art enthusiasts who learn from and engage with his work. s results in thoughtful pieces that invite viewers to engage with shared feelings and introspection.

Dry’s work is in numerous private collections in Europe, S. Africa, and the United States.

*Kudu is a symbol of inner strength and intuition, representing the ability to overcome obstacles and move forward with grace and determination. Kudu horns, in particular, are believed to hold spiritual power, and are often used in traditional African ceremonies and rituals.