Paint Where It Ain’t: Introducing Ronan Holdsworth Gallery

There is a specific kind of quiet you only get in regional Victoria. Out here in Wangaratta, the mornings start crisp, the light hits the gum trees just right, and the day begins with a coffee and the smell of aerosol and acrylics.

I’m Ronan Holdsworth. I am a self-taught muralist, large-scale canvas painter, and digital artist. My creative philosophy is pretty simple: I like getting paint where it ain’t. I take cold brick, blank concrete, and massive industrial spaces and turn them into vibrant local landmarks and spaces you want to be. Over the years, my mission has evolved from painting individual walls to leaving a distinct trail of public art across Wangaratta and our surrounding regional towns.

Behind the scaffolding and the big walls, however, there is a deeper layer to my process. I live with epilepsy.

Art, Focus, and Navigating Epilepsy

Living with an unpredictable neurological condition means finding ways to ground yourself. For me, that anchor is art. When I am standing in front of a massive public wall or a giant blank canvas, the noise of the world completely disappears. The intense focus required to map out perspectives, blend textures, and pull clean lines acts as a powerful form of therapy for me.

Because this cause is so close to my heart, I use my platform for advocacy and try do donate as many murals as possible to my town. Public art shouldn't just look good; it should do heavy lifting for the community, sparking public conversations that break down old stigmas.

Mapping the Mural Trail Across North East Victoria

If you have driven through the North East, you have likely crossed paths with my work. My goal is to create visual anchors that connect people to their spaces. Some of the key milestones on this growing regional trail include:

• The Wangaratta Town Trail: From the massive 40-metre flowing floral display at the Wangaratta Club on Victoria Parade to the interactive ladybugs designed to inspire young minds at Appin Park Primary School and the laneway of birds.

• The Rutherglen Street Art: Bringing bold, modern visual storytelling into historic streetscapes to blend the old with the new.

• The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail Silo Project: Scaling my work for the historic silos in Rutherglen, turning massive industrial structures into a permanent outdoor gallery for cyclists, tourists, and locals alike.

From Industrial Silos to Fine Art Prints

While I love the physical grit of scaling a wall or a silo, my epilepsy does have a say in how much of this I do as stress is one of my triggers. As my creative world extends far beyond brick and mortar. My studio is a playground of different mediums, allowing me to scale down that same high-energy aesthetic for private spaces:

• Large-Scale Canvas Art: High-contrast, textured visual stories designed to command a room.

• Digital Illustration & Painting: Using modern software to blend crisp graphic elements with raw, organic textures—often used to map out my giant mural mockups.

• Fine Art Prints: Making my original works accessible to art collectors everywhere through premium, gallery-quality reproductions.

Let's Collaborate

Whether you are a local business owner looking to transform a commercial facade, a regional council building a tourist trail, or a private collector searching for a striking canvas or fine art print for your home, I am always ready for the next wall.

Our regional towns have incredible stories to tell, and I want to help paint them. Take a look around the gallery, explore the portfolio, and let’s collaborate to bring your space to life.