Naomi Tomkys OBE

Naomi Tomkys grew up in London where she attended Central St. Martins School of Art. She now lives and works in Cambridgeshire. Tomkys engages with a broad range of subject matters from tourists punting to festival goers. She portrays a world of authenticity reflecting moments in time as joys and idiosyncrasies of daily life.

Although her subject matter varies, a merging of past and present plays a significant part in all of Tomkys’ work acting as shorthand for our cultural familiarities. It can be seen in a child wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt on a school trip or a group of Cambridge men in their uniform of Panama hats as the sun comes out. Each painting reflects a cinematic approach to her own interests in dynamic composition, nostalgia, and storytelling.

Tomkys has shown in group and one-man shows both nationally and internationally, including The Mall Gallery, Sak, Hampstead and Catto Contemporary. Her work is held in public and private collections in Paris, Chicago, LA, New England, Dubai, Kuwait and Zurich.

Tomkys has won the Arts Council-Creative Process Award, The Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award and the ArtBoxy award to attend the Swissartexpo and exhibited at the Florence Biennale 2025. In 2026 Tomkys became artist in residence for the D’Albret Collection in Steckborn, Switzerland.

“I imagine what strangers walking past do, who they love and what’s in their pockets. My work is a development of this simple daydream.”

email: naomi.tomkys@gmail.com

Website: https://tomkys.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/naomitomkys/