Flournoy Holmes is an established visual artist and musician. In his early 20's (James) Flournoy Holmes visually defined the Southern Rock phenomenon of the early 1970's creating notable album covers and art work for bands like The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, Outlaws, Sea Level, Hank Williams Jr, Kansas and many others. His mushroom images at that time exploded upon the world music scene and have become international icons. The Allman Brothers album "Eat A Peach" (which Duane Allman and Flournoy named) is one of the ultimate psychedelic art experiences in album cover art. Georgia Peach Growers Association said Flournoy's imagery has helped to bring the Georgia Peach to national prominence. He also created works at that time for groups such as Dr. John, Bruce Springsteen, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Carol King. His creative, influential and iconic images are still being used today after 40 years. His work is internationally recognized, in part through the medium of album covers and gallery shows. He has produced countless album covers and posters and in most cases the cover art is synonymous with the music itself. Flournoy epitomizes the creative force, as a multi- disciplined artist and continues to pursue painting, photograph, film making and music.

"Voted Top 100 Album Covers of All Time" —

                                      Rolling Stone Magazine

Growing up in the southern piedmont, Spartanburg South Carolina, the son of two artistically inclined parents, his father was a musician and his mother a ceramics teacher and they encouraged his drawing abilities at an early age. Childhood was spent mostly outdoors exploring nature and collecting insects and reptiles. This natural world of nature continues to influence his work. At one point in the 1980’s he had 4 cow carcasses along with several other animals buried in his back yard, utilizing their skeletal systems in his art at that time.

In junior high school, drawing college mascots on sweat shirts for friends, winning the Women's Bazaar poster contest, creating the schools logo and painting classes encouraged him to continue his artistic path. Two of his early accomplishments was receiving the prestigious Eagle Scout Award at twelve years of age, (one of the youngest recipients in the country) and saving seventeen children from drowning (as a lifeguard in high school).  

Attending the University of Georgia on a full art scholarship, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in drawing and painting and was selected to participate in the experimental art course “Art in the Dark” (a 2 year course of drawing in a dark room to develop ones abilities).

At that time in the late 1960’s He participated in the first wave of Transcendental Meditation and Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga also extensive entheogenic field research all of which deepened his artistic an spiritual approach to creativity. He studied under the painter James Herbert (who would later direct music videos for the band REM), interned with sculptor Donald Judd (New York City) and studied with surrealist painter Mati Klarwein, whose work was featured on album covers for Santana, Miles Davis and others. He formed Wonder Graphics, a creative arts studio, after college and continued participating in art shows. Flournoy, as he says, "made it through the 60's", went to Woodstock Music Festival and after college traveled (hitch hiking) extensively overseas. 

"A crash-course in the mystical underbelly of the respectable South"—

                             Virginia Warren Smith, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

                                                   The Georgia Museum of Art Installation

Flournoy is a Grammy Finalist Winner (NARAS, Paul Davis), several time Grammy Nominee and his work is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Ohio). He has received numerous awards and grants, including National Endowment for the Arts and Southern Arts Federation Grants. His art is in private and corporate collections, shown in museums and galleries and has appeared on cds, books, posters and movies. His 1980 album cover for Christopher Cross (a Grammy winner and multi-platinum seller) depicting a flamingo drawing on the cover was credited for the resurgence of the pink flamingo yard art craze of the eighties. His album cover was featured in the 2017 international Apple Music ad.

"I bought the record for the art... and kept it for the music"—

                                                                   Jay Babcock, LA Weekly

He curated the nation art exhibitions Art of the Grateful Dead and Four Decades of Rock Photography and The Museum of Modern Art (New York) acquired his artist book. Flournoy was selected to create the posters for The Smithsonian Institute Tibet Sand Mandala Show also Habitat for Humanity and the Dalai Lama's visit to the United States.

He opened the art gallery Form & Function in Atlanta in 1995. In 1999 Flournoy open The Big House or 368 Ponce. This house served as an gallery space, theater and music venue for decades serving the arts and metaphysical community.

"Flournoy's visionary genius continues to influence generations"—

                                                                      Terence McKenna

The jam scene has caught up to his work. Widespread Panic, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Col. Bruce Hampton, Project Z, Jimmy Herring, Endangered Species, Phil and Friends, Count M' Butu, Derek Trucks, The Grateful Dead and Slang have all used his talents.

"The best cover since Earl Hines" —

                     P. J. O'Rourke, Crawdaddy Magazine

When asked about a favorite album cover experience Flournoy sites the time he flew to France to photograph Moon Martin for his album cover (Moon was very popular in France), "We ended up lost in the underground of Paris with 3 Hindu boys, an albino mule, 2 dancers from the Moulin Rouge, a goose and a broken camera lens ... very entertaining" he said.

He was initiated at an early age into the realm of the psychic, ministered from the Spiritualist School of Truth in Wisconsin. Received his Master of Reiki in the 80’s. This confluence of experience influences his art and music and allows it to become a path for healing and growth.

"Musical imagination, his album covers set the standard" —

                                          Bo Emerson, Atlanta Journal- Constitution

His love for photography started at an early age and over the years he has photographed many recording artist  from Al Green, the Eagles, Willie Nelson to Miles Davis, Leon Russell and Sting. He is always photographing  subjects of a more personal nature.

"His Art pushes the edge of my reality" —

                              Dr. John, The Night Tripper

Involved in the making of films, he won  the Stony Award  for Best Documentary of 2006, for co-directing the feature length film Dreadheads. The female Buddha in Tibetan Mysticism  (filmed in Tibet and Nepal) and Zambiland, a zany concert starring jam band all stars hosted by Col. Bruce Hampton and Jeff Sipe are also film projects in the works. Awarded the honor of making the short film for the Atlanta Piedmont Arts Festival and also directed several music videos and short films.

"Georgia's Music Elite" —

             Atlanta Magazine

As a musician he has released his own music and works with sound as a healing modality and in a ceremonial context. Released his sound healing album in 2000 (Vibrations) with tibetan monks and a yoga album in 2006 (8 Limbs) . He has produced and played on many musical projects and soundtracks and is a founding member of the group Flying Mystics. they were given the International Sound Healing Award and have just released their fourth cd. One of the Flying Mystics YouTube videos is over 300,000. views and they are currently playing live shows.

"Atlanta's own Renaissance Man"—

Creative Loafing

Flournoy seems to be in constant creative motion  ...

2013

Big House Gallery, "Big Art Show" Atlanta, GA

Visionary Arts Festival with Alex Grey, performance, Atlanta, GA

Center for Beginnings,"Shamanic Portal" Dahlonega, GA

2012

Doog Gallery, "Skate Show" Atlanta, GA

King Plow Arts Center, "Visionary Arts" Atlanta, GA

2010

Spruill Arts Center, "Run for Cover" Atlanta, GA

2009

Lights Out at the Big House, "Installation" Atlanta, GA

Back House Gallery, "Absorb" Atlanta, GA

2007

Eye Drum Gallery, "Atlas" Atlanta, GA

Back House Gallery, "Amazonian Mask" Atlanta, GA

2003

Electric Eye Gallery, Atlanta, Ga

2000

Phyllis Kind Gallery, Group Show, New York, NY

1997

Nexus Contemporary Arts Center, "Look Back Get Down" Atlanta, GA

Form & Function Gallery, "pics" Atlanta, GA

1994

Atlanta Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA

1991

Arts Exchange", "Xmas Show" Atlanta, GA

Blue Spiral Gallery, "Johnny Detroit's Brunch" Asheville, NC

1990

Georgia Museum of Art, "Altered States" Athens, GA

X-Art Gallery, "Johnny Detroit's Brunch" New Orleans, LA

Candide, "Retrocurrent" Atlanta, GA

New Visions Gallery, "Chair Show" Atlanta, GA

Tula Arts Center,"Taboo" Atlanta, GA

1989

7 Stages Art Center, "Johnny Detroit's Brunch" Atlanta, GA

Nexus Contemporary Arts Cente Atlanta, GA

1988

IBM Tower, "Top Floor" Atlanta, GA

New Visions Gallery, Atlanta, GA

1987

Nexus Contemporary Arts Center "Biennial" Atlanta, GA

Mattress Factory Show, Atlanta, GA

Blue Rat Gallery, Atlanta, GA

1986

Nexus Contemporary Arts Center, Atlanta, GA

Mattress Factory Show, "Scripto" Atlanta, GA

Colorbox, "Monster" Atlanta, GA

1978

Georgia Pacific Gallery, Atlanta, GA

1977

Piedmont Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA

1973

South Carolina Museum of Art,"Traveling Show" Columbia, SC

1971

Museum of Natural History, "Unofficial"  London, England