Jono Dry Art

Jono Dry Art Pencil drawings by surrealist artist Jono Dry Jono Dry (b. 1989) is a self-taught artist living and working in Cape Town, South Africa.

Dry’s large-scale graphite drawings take as subject mental health and its metaphors, and consider the complexities of identity, depression and anxiety. Common to all his work is the empty darkness that surrounds his figures, who stand alone against the black. Dry’s drawings are at once hyperreal and surreal – his highly-detailed scenes described in pencil with photographic precision. In compositio

n, Dry is largely influenced by mythology and returns often to the images of archetypes to evoke a momentary recognition in the viewer, a sense of passing familiarity. The recurring motifs of animal horns, ikebana flower arrangements, fabric, and hot air balloons lend to the artist’s work an obscure symbolism. There is to his drawings a confusion of fact and fiction, the real and unreal, each image appearing as a dark dream.

I like drawing rocks trees and hands birds.
10/04/2026

I like drawing rocks trees and hands birds.

Small sketch of a tree and a rock. Two of my favourite things in the world. In this drawing they are friends. Hope you l...
24/03/2026

Small sketch of a tree and a rock. Two of my favourite things in the world. In this drawing they are friends. Hope you like them too

10/02/2026

I’m closing my prints store. The last few prints are available before the weekend, but after that they won’t be for quite a while. Thanks to everyone who has already collected my work. It’s been incredibly special to see how far and wide the support has been for these drawings. I’ll keep drawing but at a much slower rate as I take a much needed mental health break❤️‍🩹

06/02/2026

My mom is teaching a water colour course in Cape Town! Only two spots left so send an email to let me know if you’d like to grab one of those spots 😊 if you miss this one I’ll let you know as soon as we open up for the next course.

In pursuit I’m entrapped - pencil on paperThis drawing has come back around to teach me. I couldn’t have known at the ti...
04/02/2026

In pursuit I’m entrapped - pencil on paper
This drawing has come back around to teach me. I couldn’t have known at the time how relatable this would be for my future self but I just love circular nature of things. Also some crunchy details for those of you interested in zooming in. Hope you enjoy :)

This little flower sketch is available if anyone desperately needs a drawing of a flower in their homes. Also I did a ti...
03/02/2026

This little flower sketch is available if anyone desperately needs a drawing of a flower in their homes. Also I did a timelapse of the drawing, explaining some of the techniques I’m currently playing with :)

Drawing figure in frame was an exercise of so many different experimental techniques. I was dissolving my graphite and p...
29/01/2026

Drawing figure in frame was an exercise of so many different experimental techniques. I was dissolving my graphite and painting it on, careful not to go over any of the lines because it’s impossible to erase graphite when it’s applied like this. The whole drawing was an exercise in precision and care. I was a nervous wreck half the time and thrilled with the results the other half.

Over the last few years I’ve loved drawing textures with cracks and breaks. Often with new life breaking through. It fee...
27/01/2026

Over the last few years I’ve loved drawing textures with cracks and breaks. Often with new life breaking through. It feels particularly relatable for me now, during this time of change. I don’t know why I choose certain figures or animals in these works but there is a weight to this drawing that I love.

This drawing from two years ago feels more appropriate now than ever for me. Although I think the rocks have fallen and ...
24/01/2026

This drawing from two years ago feels more appropriate now than ever for me. Although I think the rocks have fallen and there is a deep sense of relief that’s come with that

I’ve woken up to a print of this drawing on the wall at the foot of my bed. Ive looked at it for years, I don’t really r...
23/01/2026

I’ve woken up to a print of this drawing on the wall at the foot of my bed. Ive looked at it for years, I don’t really remember or know what I was thinking when I drew it but this morning this is what it felt like to get up 😂 I like to think that I some how drew it for myself for today.

I can’t believe this was 10 years ago! This was my first post in 2016. I’m still so proud of this drawing. It taught me ...
21/01/2026

I can’t believe this was 10 years ago! This was my first post in 2016. I’m still so proud of this drawing. It taught me a lot, stretched me to my limit and marked a significant milestone in my process. To this date, it’s still one of the most detailed drawings I’ve ever done.

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Cape Town

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