Artists > Holly Holmes, Resonant Spaces September 12 - October 3, 2023

Partially funded by Columbia College's Part-time Faculty Development Grant.

Over the past several years, I have been exploring the tension between abstraction and representation. The subject matter of my work is drawn from my surroundings—ranging from landscapes and bus stations to current events and news. I use written, visual, and lived experiences as references in my practice. This body of work focuses on creating versions of spaces, or combinations of situation and space.

My process begins with a quick sketch, drawing, or snapshot of a place or idea. Using this initial version as a reference, I then translate the information in the studio to form an abstract interpretation. I often start with spatial drawings, flattening them and using color to push found forms from background to foreground.

While making preliminary drawings, I am frequently overtaken by emotional responses as the atmosphere of a place resonates with me—whether through a sense of wonder in a new environment or discomfort arising from nearby situations. At times, these feelings are shaped by external influences, such as distressing news events or even physical sensations like motion sickness. These experiences inevitably affect how the work is developed and resolved in the studio.
—Holly Holmes