Eleanor Holliday

My work has always been inspired by the world around me.

I grew up near a crowded beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. My early work was in pastel and the rhythms, and colours of my mark making captured the experience of living in this dynamic environment.

Coastal life is very familiar to many Australians. I think this narrative resonates with my audience and invites them to create their own stories. I am interested in providing viewpoints that exaggerate the density of the populated beach and provide extended areas of focus. The narrative I want to present is of nostalgia, fun and easily recognisable characters.

Recently my work has become more detailed, miniature and is usually painted with oil paint.

Living in the Nambucca Valley has presented a different version of the beach than I grew up with. I have become very interested in photographing and painting clouds. They bring drama to an otherwise familiar scene. These works are larger than my beaches and have become more focused on the subtle beauty in tonal variations.

I also take inspiration from new environments and surrounds when I travel. These works, often in pastel are larger and focus on mark making and colour and are a depiction of my abundant curiosity for different landforms and plants.

My main career has been as a visual art and photography teacher at Nambucca Heads and Kempsey High Schools. I have had many private commissions and have been successful in art prizes. Now retired, I am finding the energy and time to experiment with new ideas and mediums.

@eleanorhollidayart
https://eleanorholliday.art