Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Holly Cerna. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Holly, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
When I need to keep my creativity alive, especially when dealing with artist block, or feeling uninspired, here are some things I like to do.
1. Explore other artists. Research what they make work about (their voice) and how they execute their ideas (their process).
2. Look back on old work. Examine the choices made in the old work and evaluate how the current work has evolved.
3. Stay open to experimentation. This could mean pushing past boundaries as well as creating them.
Some examples of this could be trying out a new medium, layering unexpected colors on top of each other, or using a limited color palette. I find it exhilarating to make discoveries that can then be applied to new work!
4. Experience the world outside of the creation process to be reminded of why you create in the first place.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Having an artistic career can feel like hiking up a mountain. There are many milestones and challenges to overcome, with many still ahead, but each step deserves some gratitude.
If you are not familiar with my work, my paintings explore how color relates to emotion and light as a representation of the soul or consciousness. I endeavor to depict what inner emotions and residual energy may look like within and around the human body as well as architectural and natural landscapes.
I am a current member of Contracommon, an artist-run, artist-led nonprofit and arts space that supports artists in a collaborative setting. Contracommon is a hub for the arts in Central Texas that empowers emerging artists through community, collaboration, and creative exploration. We regularly host events and workshops. I especially enjoy hosting and facilitating Live Figure Drawing.
https://www.contracommon.org/
I am also currently part of an online program called the International Lab of Artistic Practices (ILAP)
ILAP is an international program that has weekly zoom meetings where participants engage in theoretical discussions, knowledge exchanges, and exercises to help their personal and professional aspirations. It also offers opportunities to expand networks and engage in critical discussions about the current art world. Being a part of this program has proven to be exponentially helpful for my continued development as an artist.
https://uncoolartist.com/ilap-us/
In the fall, I had the pleasure of being an instructor at Lucky Star Art Camp where I taught Live Figure Drawing. Camp Lucky Star is a four-night, five-day women’s art and whole living sleepaway camp that takes place annually at Camp Waldemar. Camp Waldemar was founded in 1928 and is situated among the hills and cypress trees lining the banks of the north fork of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas. It was my first time providing instruction to an adult class as well as Lucky Star’s first time having Live Figure Drawing as an available class. It was thrilling to provide the women at camp an opportunity to capture the beauty of a live female form.
https://luckystarartcamp.com/
It’s also worth mentioning that back in May of this year, I was selected as a finalist candidate for the Artpace residency in San Antonio by writer and author Larry Ossei-Mensah. I had the honor and pleasure of welcoming him into my studio for his feedback and an interview. Even though I did not make the final selection, it was a big deal for me just to be a finalist. This was still a victory for me because I got to have the opportunity to get personal feedback from a highly respected curator. Moments like that are incredibly valuable because they force me to assess and reassess my practice.
https://artpace.org/?gclid=CjwKCAiAg9urBhB_EiwAgw88mVf5h4ULuwJnLEQhA-9QaiH5X21R5r7mvcr3yyfayEIQlKS1GJvBahoC5gMQAvD_BwE
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
If we are talking about technical skill, I would say glazing. Glazing is a standard painting technique, where a thin layers of paint are applied on top of the main color, resulting in rich, iridescent colors. The glaze technique requires special semi-transparent paints, or thinning down paint. During the Renaissance, many artists used glazing as a way of mixing paints, and it’s an integral part of my painting process.
A quality that impacted my journey especially this year is staying open. I endeavored to say, “yes” to almost every opportunity that presented itself to me if it looked like it was going to benefit my artistic practice. This meant I also had to be careful; to be selective about what to apply to and protective of my time and mental health. Staying open also means doing plenty of research. Research everything you can to help fuel your voice. This will provide continued clarity over time.
Finally, Personal Narrative. This will be different for everyone. This is the artist’s “voice”
You can find your personal narrative by asking yourself:
Why do you create?
Who is your audience?
What do you want your work to be about?
How do you execute your ideas?
The beautiful thing about creating is that everyone will come to different conclusions to these questions, and the answer may change as you evolve. That is why it’s important to re evaluate your work every so often.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Diane Ackerman’s A Natural History of the Senses In this nonfiction book of essays, Ackerman examines the science of how the different senses work and the varied means that different cultures have sought to stimulate the senses. This book is for anyone looking to be both inspired and reminded of the beauty of our human experience. This book does not have a continuous narrative or storyline, which frees the reader to read in any order. I return to this book regularly for creative inspiration.
Some essay titles include, “The Ultimate Dinner Party,” “The Point of Pain,” and “The Psychopharmacology of Chocolate.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hollycerna.com
- Instagram: @hollycerna_
- Facebook: Holly Cerna
- Linkedin: @HollyCerna
