Hollyana
Melear
Canary
2020, Acrylic and collage on canvas, 24 x 36 x 1.5 in
Hollyana
Melear
Spring Rain
2020, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 x 1 in
Hollyana
Melear
All Things Connected
2020, Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 12 x 1.5 in
Hollyana
Melear
Witches Rising
2020, Acrylic on canvas, 20 x 16 x 1 in
Hollyana
Melear
Above the Earth
2019, Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 x 1.5 in
Hollyana
Melear
Blue Planet
2020, Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 x 1 in
Hollyana Melear Artist Talk - Art: A vehicle for Well-Being
Welcome back to my studio! Today I want to discuss how art can be used as a vehicle for contemplation, meditation, relaxation, and focus. We will look at a few works in my home and how I utitilize their imagery on a personal and spiritual level for my own well-being. Enjoy!
Hollyana Melear Home Studio Tour
Welcome to my home studio! Here is a quick tour of some of my recent works including my newest series The Great Divide. This works focuses on some contemporary issues in the political arena of the United States. In addition to this "Heavier" work, I will also show you some of my more whimsical designs including monsters and abstracts. Enjoy!
About the Artist
Holly bio for EAST 2020
Hollyana Melear is a native born Austinite raised by a family of artists, sculptures, and musicians.
Her professional career has included art restoration, Visual Art Instruction, gallery management, and her own artistic pursuits. Hollyana's surrealistic style, blended with ancient and modern symbolism, has appealed to audiences for commission works, solo, and group exhibitions. She has shown her work at numerous venues including the Texas State Capitol, Austin City Hall, and the Julia C. Buttridge gallery, and numerous shows outside of Austin. Her series have included serious commentaries on political topics, modern iconic imagery, and whimsical illustrative works.
Hollyana received her Master's Degree at St. Edward's University with a focus on Ancient Near Eastern art forms and the netherworld texts and finalized her thesis in Cairo studying at the Egyptian Museum.
By using art as a universal language and as a vehicle to blend culture and thought, Hollyana creates a dialogue about the connection of humanity across the globe.
Hollyana's current focus is her series The Great Divide, stressing the political landscape in the United States, including issues on the #METOO movement, class division, and immigration policy on the border of Mexico
Artist Statement
Painting has been a life-long passion for me. I often say "Art is my survival". A native born Austinite, I grew up in family of artists. I have explored a variety of media and have gone through many periods where I was exclusively producing in one particular style and media. Forms of ancient spirituality have always been a large interest of mine. Through my graduate studies I was able to pursue research on ancient art forms of the Middle East as well as the study of imagery in Native American & Western European Shamanism. This particular pursuit led me to explore the world of iconography, particularly in the idea of creating ancient images in modern form. By using art a universal language and as a vehicle to blend culture, spirituality, time and imagery, I attempt to create a dialogue about the connection of humanity across the globe.
I have taught Visual Art for over 20 years along with being a professional artist. Over this past several years I also have an added focus on my nonprofit which supports STEAM Education. I am always on the winding journey of my passion and growth in producing art, exhibiting, and creating commission works.
When I am not pursuing art or STEAM, I enjoy my family, dogs, and long hikes in nature to inspire me for what to paint next!
The Austin Studio Tour is a program of Big Medium.
