Holly Lane of California on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Holly Lane shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Holly, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
Because of Hollywood’s depictions I think many people think creating art is quick and spontaneous. It is easier to film an artist in something like an inspired fit, working feverishly with the art work being completed in short time. That can happen. But for me there is a very long lead up time of gathering visuals that hook my mind, looking intensely, incubating, trying things out, thinking and refining. Ideas, or germs of ideas can come quickly…that is why artists carry around sketchbooks to catch these fleeting whispers. When sketching, your hand helps you glue the inspiration to your mind…then comes much development…the long thought is deep rewarding engagement, really like nothing else. When the work is done, which sometimes takes months, it feels like a spell has been broken…you are back to regular life.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a visual artist who creates intimate paintings usually about nature. I enshrine the paintings in frames that I hand carve myself. Each frame is unique and is designed to enhance, and elaborate formally and philosophically, on the painting within. I start with kiln dried lumber and carve every detail. I don’t do assemblage. Many people assume I find old furniture, then reassemble and adapt it…but I do not, it all starts out as fresh lumber, non-endangered wood species which I carve. I earned a MFA, a Master of Fine Art at San Jose State University in 1988 and have been a full time studio artist for 37 years, exhibiting in galleries and museums. My work has been reviewed in the New York Times, ArtNews, Art in America and many other art journals and online art websites. One of my works is in an art history textbook – Terence Grieder, “Art and Audience”, 2nd Edition. Brown and Benchmark, London, UK I feel fortunate to be able to devote my life to art making and exhibiting.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship to the artistic process has shaped me and my understanding of myself. Being completely enamored with, and trusting of the creative process even when in things are temporarily not going smoothly in the studio has given me confidence that I can move forward artistically and philosophically. I worked lots of different jobs as I put myself through college and graduate school. Art is the only endeavor that feels limitless to me, that causes me to continually discover.

Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
There are a number of times I felt someone truly listened to me, for instance one on one talks with a sympathetic art dealer, or with a group. One of the things that is hard for introverts to do is public speaking. When I’m asked to give an artist talk at a museum, or elsewhere, I usually prepare a script and practice out loud over and over until the day of the event. To my wonderment in many instances the audience response has been encouraging, even elating…the comments and laughs during my talk and the questions at the end have made me feel I was truly heard. In addition, the audience feedback, comments, references, parallels have enriched my own thinking. Public speaking, for me at least, is not a one sided monologue…though nervous before hand, even after all these years, afterward I’m usually walking on cloud nine feeling like I was heard and often on levels I had not expected.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
The poet William Wordsworth said “…share with all that live, the best of what you do and are.”

I have adopted Wordsworth words as guiding star.

Share with “all that live” means animals as well as people. Some scientists posit that the whole earth including rocks, water and air are a part of a bio-system that lives.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am deeply engaged in art making in the studio. Time flies.

Another time I feel at peace when I can go on all day hike in nature. I find a long hike can be greatly de-stressing. After a lot of fresh air and walking new ideas, or possible solutions to things I’m dealing with in the studio, pop into mind. I carry a small notebook for these moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hollylaneart.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holly.lane.940

Image Credits
John Brennan
Patrick Tregenza
Rick Pharaoh