Holt Painting

My art is derived from life experiences that thoroughly invigorate me and with which I become deeply emotionally vested. While living in Chicago from 1998 to 2006, my inspiration came from the urban setting: I pursued cityscapes and subway scenes. Yet after moving to Portland with my wife and young daughter in 2006, I found myself increasingly drawn to internal subject matter and imagery involving my family, job, and the innate struggles therein. I began my "Squares" series with the birth of my second daughter in 2009. The method I developed forces me to slow down and carefully consider details. I start each larger-than-life painting by creating a grid over a photographic image, segmenting it into countless discrete squares. I paint these randomly, square by square, revealing the final image upon completion. I share each day's progress on Facebook so others can watch as the work develops. I feel that through this use of social media, people can effectively experience my process more than a gallery show alone. My artistic intent shifted in 2011 during a cross-country drive from Portland to Chicago to deliver art to a show. I was profoundly moved by a visit to my mom's family farm, which had been sold years ago then abandoned. What has evolved from that experience is my "Americana" series. With imagery collected along that Midwest road trip"”including those from the remains of my mom's family farm"”I address issues of corporate ethics and the marginalization of family life. I combine both traditional oil on canvas and found object assemblage. The body of work speaks to both a sense of nostalgia and an urgency to change the modus operandi of our world culture.