Holly Fischer

Holly Fischer was born in Missoula, Montana, the first child of creative and resourceful parents cultivating their personal forms of artistic expression as part of the back-to-the-land movement of the 70s. Growing up with a skilled woodworker as a father and an accomplished fiber artist as a mother provided Holly with the tools to foster her own creativity at a very young age. Art is a second language for Holly; it is a conduit for self-discovery and a means for processing and conveying internal conflicts arising from pressure to conform to gender norms and culturally standardized concepts of beauty. Holly is known for her abstracted figurative sculptures in white clay that celebrate voluptuous flesh. These works explore dualities inherent in femininity, encouraging a social engagement with sexual politics by questioning stereotypes and challenging the traditionally assumed structure of the gaze. ​Residing in Raleigh NC, Holly teaches at Meredith College where she is a passionate mentor and derives great joy from the opportunity to help emerging artists discover their own creative voice. Holly has a vigorous studio practice in which she actively investigates a variety of processes and materials, constantly seeking new ways to expre...

MFA in Studio Art (Ceramic Sculpture Concentration), University of Texas at Austin, 2004

BA in Studio Art (Sculpture Concentration), Summa Cum Laude, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC, 1999

2020: Flora [Fem] Fauna, Frankie G. Weems Gallery, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC

2019: Varied State, Whitespace Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2019: Persistence: A National Exhibition Celebrating Women, d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA

2018: Different Shapes: Sculptural Ceramics in North Carolina, The North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC

2017: Holly Fischer: Come Closer, Upfront Gallery, Artspace, Raleigh, NC

2017: Gendered: An Inclusive Art Show, Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC

2017: Refresh: New Art, New Views, Fine Art at Baxters Gallery, New Bern, NC

2017: Ceramic Innovations: International Juried Exhibition, Juried by Chris Gustin, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

2016: CraftForms 2016: 22nd International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

2016: Umlauf Prize Retrospective Exhibition, Umlauf Museum, Austin, TX

2016: The Nude Figure: National Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA

2016: Rare Earth: National Ceramics Exhibition, Cabrillo Gallery, Aptos, CA

2016: Fantastic Fibers 2016: International Juried Exhibition, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY

2016: New Fibers 2016: National Juried Exhibition, Eastern Michigan University Gallery, Ypsilanti, MI

2016: New Directio...