Marshall Area Fine Arts Council
presents
the underlying reality
by
Bryan Holland
May 28, 2013 - June 28, 2013
presents
the underlying reality
by
Bryan Holland
May 28, 2013 - June 28, 2013
Marshall Area Fine Arts Council is pleased to welcome Bryan Holland to the Arts Center for an exhibit titled “the underlying reality”.
Bryan’s most recent work is a mix of oil painting, collage, found art, image transfer techniques, and a variety of other experimentation. His work is influenced by graphic design, vintage art, painting, photography, mythology and a little bit of science and philosophy.
“There’s a lot of different ways to think about art,” Holland said, adding that Painters fall into two broad categories: Painters who try to paint realistically, using technique and perspective to fool viewers into perceiving a 3D image on their canvas; and those who do not. “I’ve been obsessed with merging these two disparate ideas.”
“I love to create a sense of depth,” Holland explains, “then throw viewers back to the idea that there is no depth, only a flat surface. Holland’s work is marked by that tension between fragments of reality and figments of fantasy. He creates highly evocative, layered images that, for Holland, operate more as a conversation starter than an artistic thesis.
“There is this notion that artists are geniuses and what they think is what I’m supposed to think,” he said. “Really good art takes on a life of its own and becomes bigger than the artist.” There is a time when the St. Peter artist did try to exert more control over the perceptions of his work. He remembers being miffed when one particular observer mistook his heavily symbolized still-life that explored the stages of life for a commentary on crib death. After that, Holland said he began to “liberate” himself by being less prescriptive in his art. Now, instead of creating works with a specific message in mind, he approaches his blank canvas with equally blank expectations. “I start with an image or a color, something to react to,” he said. “From my point of view, it gets boring and tedious if I paint what’s already in my mind. There’s no exploration and discovery.”
“Recently, I began working on a series of animal paintings based on photos that I'd taken at zoos or museums. These are combined with a combination of collage material to invoke of feeling of old circus ads, weathered billboards, collage, etc. I enjoy the contrast between illusionistic painting techniques and the flattening effect of two dimensional design elements. This tension created between these two different ideas is something that I've explored in my work for a long time, and can be seen in most of my work.”
Bryan has worked professionally as an artist, a graphic artist, and a college professor. His work has been in numerous exhibitions, from solo to regional and national juried and invitational exhibitions. He has exhibited in Asbury Park NY, Mankato, Grand Junction CO, Denver CO, Chautauqua NY, Los Angeles CA, and Saint Peter His work has been published in several journals and is part of many collections.
Aside from Bryan’s wonderful art, he has a local connection. A graduate of Marshall High School, Bryan’s family members are residents of Marshall.
Bryan has been recently featured on Twin Cities (tpt) Public TV as a part of Minnesota Original. Watch his interview at http://www.mnoriginal.org/episode/bryan-holland/.
Please join MAFAC at a reception for Bryan Holland on Sunday, June 9 from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Arts Center.
Bryan’s most recent work is a mix of oil painting, collage, found art, image transfer techniques, and a variety of other experimentation. His work is influenced by graphic design, vintage art, painting, photography, mythology and a little bit of science and philosophy.
“There’s a lot of different ways to think about art,” Holland said, adding that Painters fall into two broad categories: Painters who try to paint realistically, using technique and perspective to fool viewers into perceiving a 3D image on their canvas; and those who do not. “I’ve been obsessed with merging these two disparate ideas.”
“I love to create a sense of depth,” Holland explains, “then throw viewers back to the idea that there is no depth, only a flat surface. Holland’s work is marked by that tension between fragments of reality and figments of fantasy. He creates highly evocative, layered images that, for Holland, operate more as a conversation starter than an artistic thesis.
“There is this notion that artists are geniuses and what they think is what I’m supposed to think,” he said. “Really good art takes on a life of its own and becomes bigger than the artist.” There is a time when the St. Peter artist did try to exert more control over the perceptions of his work. He remembers being miffed when one particular observer mistook his heavily symbolized still-life that explored the stages of life for a commentary on crib death. After that, Holland said he began to “liberate” himself by being less prescriptive in his art. Now, instead of creating works with a specific message in mind, he approaches his blank canvas with equally blank expectations. “I start with an image or a color, something to react to,” he said. “From my point of view, it gets boring and tedious if I paint what’s already in my mind. There’s no exploration and discovery.”
“Recently, I began working on a series of animal paintings based on photos that I'd taken at zoos or museums. These are combined with a combination of collage material to invoke of feeling of old circus ads, weathered billboards, collage, etc. I enjoy the contrast between illusionistic painting techniques and the flattening effect of two dimensional design elements. This tension created between these two different ideas is something that I've explored in my work for a long time, and can be seen in most of my work.”
Bryan has worked professionally as an artist, a graphic artist, and a college professor. His work has been in numerous exhibitions, from solo to regional and national juried and invitational exhibitions. He has exhibited in Asbury Park NY, Mankato, Grand Junction CO, Denver CO, Chautauqua NY, Los Angeles CA, and Saint Peter His work has been published in several journals and is part of many collections.
Aside from Bryan’s wonderful art, he has a local connection. A graduate of Marshall High School, Bryan’s family members are residents of Marshall.
Bryan has been recently featured on Twin Cities (tpt) Public TV as a part of Minnesota Original. Watch his interview at http://www.mnoriginal.org/episode/bryan-holland/.
Please join MAFAC at a reception for Bryan Holland on Sunday, June 9 from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Arts Center.