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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Arts in Atlanta: Greg Holliday

greg big city sunset

What emotions drive the creation of your art?
Daily life inspires me most - a sunny day, the seasons, a shadow cast upon a sidewalk. I get excited by love of life. Meeting someone new. Experiencing a new adventure. The anticipation of trying something new. Even a down moment, while challenging, can be inspiring. I have had my share of those but I dive into the paints and the result on canvas is always something spectacular. Bright and bold rather than dark.

What experiences led you to become an artist?
I carry a lot of “stuff” around in my head. I am very visual and appreciate beautiful things and like to capture that. I have always felt like I can accomplish anything but I may not always be in a place to do everything I would like to do. So, that energy has to come out somewhere. The bigger the canvas the better and the energy flows.

When did you make the decision to be an artist?
I guess I have always been an artist. A talent I inherited from my father and grandmother. I have always been creative. Drawing houses and floor plans for my friends when I was a kid. Building things. Creating always. I finally put all of that on canvas about 15 years ago.



Is your art goal-oriented?
Sometimes yes. I do not always have an end result in mind because my work progresses as I get more involved with the brush. Many times I am happily surprised by the outcome and when it turns out better than I expected well, that is amazing! I work well under pressure though and if I have a project I need to complete my best work comes right before the deadline.

What are you passionate about?
Life. Love. Music. People. Animals. Being healthy. Relationships. Meeting new people. Faith. Friends. Family. Design. The earth. Oh...and ART of course!

How would you describe yourself?
Loyal. Loving. Happy. Open minded. A shoulder. Enthusiastic. Creative. A best friend. A great son and even better grandson. An AWESOME uncle! Someone who is willing to take chances on life experiences and people.

greg black old sun

What artistic challenges do you face?
To do more...and have the luxury of time for that.


What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned as an artist?
Less is more. This applies to many things in life.


What’s your proudest artistic achievement?.
Completing a random piece of art that impacted someone greatly and still does to this day. And...a current painting hanging at Decatur Gallery.

What artists have influenced you most and why?
Rothko, DeKooning, Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler for their large works, incredible color and often disturbing past. I can sit in front of a Rothko for hours and get lost in the size and color.

greg my funny



What’s been your best decision?
To put myself out there.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet?
At this moment? Allan Stone

What are you currently reading or listening to?
The New York Times and I’m listening to a beautiful mix of music a friend gave me entitled, “Beyond the Canvas.” Appropriate huh?

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
No one. Sometimes it takes a long while to get to know yourself...be happy with who you are...love yourself and be comfortable in your own skin. I’m at that place. So I cannot imagine trading places with anyone. However, I can think of many people I would like to walk beside for a day or three.

What dream do you still want to fulfill?
I would like to live in another country and own a farm.

What subject would you like to portray in your art that you have not yet attempted?
My work is very abstract. I do not always have a subject in mind and if I do there are no guarantees that anyone will see it immediately. Once, I was asked to paint Piedmont Park in Atlanta. I did. I’m not sure everyone would see a park when they look at that piece. Sometimes my work becomes a very beautiful accident. This is why I do not always title my art. Everyone has their own interpretation and I think that is quite amazing!

Thank you, Greg.

Greg's Palette

Greg Holliday is an emerging Atlanta artist who is basically self-taught and whose enthusiasm for life is evident in his radiant, emotional paintings. Greg works in acrylics, oils and wax as well as other media on canvas, paper and panel. He prefers large canvases that showcase the remarkable depth and patina of his paintings. Greg often leaves his work untitled to leave each piece open to the interpretation of the individual viewer. He believes art is very personal. If you would like to see more of Greg's work, please visit the Decatur Market and Gallery on 153 Ponce de Leon Place in Decatur, Georgia or click on the gallery name. If you'd like to meet Greg in person and talk to him about his art, stop by the gallery's New Beginnings: Expressions of Love group show and reception on February 12 from 6-9:00 p.m.


*for Theme Thursday and Creative Therapy

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow, beautiful work! His art sure does prove his enthusiasm for life and image. Lovely use of light!

penny treese said...

spectacular interview and peek into the essence of Greg's incredible abstract artwork. Bravo!

Jean said...

Hi Kathy,
Thanks for introducing us to Greg! I really love the colors he chooses and the emotions that they evoke. If I ever make it to Georgia, I will have to stop by the Decatur Market and Gallery!

Kathy, I also really liked the questions that you asked him. What a wonderful set of questions for all of us artists to ponder!

And...thank you for the beautiful background music that you play on your blog. I could just turn your blog on and listen to the music all afternoon, every day! Happy Ground Hog Day!
Jean :)

roc said...

wow...what a great interview. i am LOVING that artwork! good luck with art career greg!

Lisa said...

Love the colors you use, Greg and I love the way you describe the way the work progresses. Thanks for an awesome interview and thank you, Kathy!

Karen Johnson said...

Love the interview. HIs work is vibrant and alive. Gorgeous.

Barbara Hagerty said...

Thank you so much for sharing this interview, Kathy. I'm so glad I got to read it, and I'm especially happy to see some of Greg's amazing work. How wonderful that he wouldn't want to trade places with anyone. A person with his talent should be very comfortable in his own skin, and keep painting! I hope his desire "to do more and have the luxury of time for that" is fulfilled and renewed. I wish I was in Atlanta so I could see more!

Marit said...

Wow Greg, what a colourful paintings you make!!! I must tell my dad, he likes to paint huge canvasses and smashing with colours (he's an amateur.. just for fun) You seem to know yourself pretty well, which I love! What you say about that you don't want to trade with anyone, because it takes time to know yourself, is so wise! And it reminds me of my son when he was 7... someone asked him what he wanted to be when he was grown, and he answered "myself"!

Thanks Kathy, for interviewing Greg and introducing his work on your blog!

Katherine said...

Wonderful interview. I related to quite a few of Gregs' responses. Ofcourse I related to the color, the need to paint large and the desire to paint abstractly. I also liked his open approach to the creative process. Great idea Kathy to do these interviews.

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