Ep. 95: Holly Nielsen

Holly Parson Nielsen’s art encompasses painting and drawing, mixing abstract elements with narrative impulses. Much of her work is created through the element of line, using mix mediums of charcoal, graphite, watercolor and or acrylic paint. As an illustrator, she has published with a variety of publications, including Covenant Communications, Hickman Music Editions, and the National Society for John Steinbeck. In 2018 she received the Moon Beam children's book Gold Medal Award. Holly has taught as adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University and is currently an instructor of record at the University of Utah. Her work has been featured in group exhibitions at the East Idaho Museum of Art, the UVU Faculty Show at the Woodbury Gallery of Art, and the Heming Village Juried Exhibition. She presented a solo show at L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center in 2018, and is currently collaborating on a group exhibition titled A Sense of Place, sponsored by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Holly is currently an MFA candidate at The University of Utah. Her thesis exhibition, Reclaiming Motherhood: I Will Not Vanish, will open May 24th at the Gittins Gallery at the University of Utah. The show focuses on resilience, reclaiming motherhood/personhood and dealing with past trauma. She uses acrylic paint and charcoal to create an atmosphere partially removed from reality through a fantastical lens, where images and motifs transition and shapeshift through a narrative journey of a central character. You can visit her website and follow her on Instagram. Website: artbyholly.com Instagram: @illustrations.by.holly