︎ artist ︎ painter ︎ adman ︎ director ︎ writer ︎ bon vivant ︎ enfant terrible ︎ designer ︎ provocateur ︎ creative director ︎ artist ︎ painter ︎ adman ︎ director ︎ writer ︎ bon vivant ︎ actor ︎ voice over ︎ producer ︎ creator
Gary Holme grew up in Detroit, where he learned to draw, paint, love and create.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1980 and started his career in Advertisng & Design in 1984, while continuing to create art, make drawings, illustrations, paintings, posters, and other personal and commercial art projects.
From dozens of political drawings for the now defunct Los Angeles Herald Examiner in the mid 1980’s, to designing magazines, posters and ads in Toronto, Holme sees everything in his career as one big, ongoing, continuous creative art blank slate, waiting to be filled with his unique vision of the world.
In advertising, he has been a designer, an art director, creative director, and executive creative director for some of the world's best ad agencies, including Chiat/Day, SapientNitro, FCB, Publicis, Y&R and J. Walter Thompson, as well as smaller boutiques like Wolf Toronto, and Sensis Los Angeles.
As an accomplished artist and published illustrator, Holme has spent his career weaving creativity with commercial success on numerous award-winning brands and projects, while also continuing to create art with no commercial or advertising purpose, including being in many art exhibits and shows.
Gary Holme was formerly Director of Art&Content at Mass Minority Toronto, and BAM®Analytix, for the last eight years.
Gary Holme has been called many things ~ artist, painter, cartoonist, illustrator, writer and provocateur.
But the one thing he’s never been called, is dull.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1980 and started his career in Advertisng & Design in 1984, while continuing to create art, make drawings, illustrations, paintings, posters, and other personal and commercial art projects.
From dozens of political drawings for the now defunct Los Angeles Herald Examiner in the mid 1980’s, to designing magazines, posters and ads in Toronto, Holme sees everything in his career as one big, ongoing, continuous creative art blank slate, waiting to be filled with his unique vision of the world.
In advertising, he has been a designer, an art director, creative director, and executive creative director for some of the world's best ad agencies, including Chiat/Day, SapientNitro, FCB, Publicis, Y&R and J. Walter Thompson, as well as smaller boutiques like Wolf Toronto, and Sensis Los Angeles.
As an accomplished artist and published illustrator, Holme has spent his career weaving creativity with commercial success on numerous award-winning brands and projects, while also continuing to create art with no commercial or advertising purpose, including being in many art exhibits and shows.
Gary Holme was formerly Director of Art&Content at Mass Minority Toronto, and BAM®Analytix, for the last eight years.
Gary Holme has been called many things ~ artist, painter, cartoonist, illustrator, writer and provocateur.
But the one thing he’s never been called, is dull.
Now
Creative Director at Polygorgeous®, and Artist at Gary Holme’s Fine Lookin’ Art Gallery, Toronto
March 2017-January 2025
Director of Art, Mass Minority, & BAM Analytix, Toronto
May 2015-October 2016
SVP, Creative Director, McCannDetroit, Detroit
September 2014-May 2015 Freelance Creative Director, Various Agencies including Sensis, Los Angeles, California
May 2014-September 2014 Creative Director, Art Director, Artist, Storyteller, Narrator, Executive Producer, and RV Driver on “Going Holme”, a documentary film
April 2012-March 2014 Partner, Executive Creative Director and Chief Creative Officer, Dorsey | Holme Experience, Toronto
September 2011-February 2012 Freelance Art Director, Creative Director, Various Agencies, Toronto
September 2010-July 2011
Co-Executive Creative Director, SapientNitro, Toronto
September 2005-July 2010
Group Creative Director, Publicis Canada, Toronto
May 2002-August 2005 Creative Director, Young & Rubicam, Toronto
January 2000-April 2002 Executive Creative Director, Wolf Group, Toronto
March 1998-January 2000 Creative Director, Harrod&Mirlin/FCB Canada
March 1994-February 1998 Associate Creative Director, TBWA Chiat/Day, Toronto
September 1990-February 1994 Art Director, JWT Canada, Toronto
September 1983- June 1990 Art Director then Creative Director, JWT Recruitment, Los Angeles
And before all of that, I did tons of jobs, was even a member of The Seafarer’s International Union for two years and worked as a waiter at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA. But what has sustained me and inspired me my whole life, no matter where I worked, is the art.
Creative Director at Polygorgeous®, and Artist at Gary Holme’s Fine Lookin’ Art Gallery, Toronto
March 2017-January 2025
Director of Art, Mass Minority, & BAM Analytix, Toronto
May 2015-October 2016
SVP, Creative Director, McCannDetroit, Detroit
September 2014-May 2015 Freelance Creative Director, Various Agencies including Sensis, Los Angeles, California
May 2014-September 2014 Creative Director, Art Director, Artist, Storyteller, Narrator, Executive Producer, and RV Driver on “Going Holme”, a documentary film
April 2012-March 2014 Partner, Executive Creative Director and Chief Creative Officer, Dorsey | Holme Experience, Toronto
September 2011-February 2012 Freelance Art Director, Creative Director, Various Agencies, Toronto
September 2010-July 2011
Co-Executive Creative Director, SapientNitro, Toronto
September 2005-July 2010
Group Creative Director, Publicis Canada, Toronto
May 2002-August 2005 Creative Director, Young & Rubicam, Toronto
January 2000-April 2002 Executive Creative Director, Wolf Group, Toronto
March 1998-January 2000 Creative Director, Harrod&Mirlin/FCB Canada
March 1994-February 1998 Associate Creative Director, TBWA Chiat/Day, Toronto
September 1990-February 1994 Art Director, JWT Canada, Toronto
September 1983- June 1990 Art Director then Creative Director, JWT Recruitment, Los Angeles
And before all of that, I did tons of jobs, was even a member of The Seafarer’s International Union for two years and worked as a waiter at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA. But what has sustained me and inspired me my whole life, no matter where I worked, is the art.