Greetings From California 48x48” Oil and Cold Wax by Holli Harmon

Howdy! (Aloha, Hola, Haku, and Hi),

I hope this note finds you in good health and full of hope during this pandemic. This may be the only way to connect with all of you for a while. The sheltering in place has offered lots of time in the studio and extra attention to the garden. I also hope you have found some silver linings during the quarantine.

The Greetings From California painting was inspired by our everyday greetings of “Hello”. All of the words that I have obscured hold a cultural influence here in California. We are a “destination” to visit and countless visitors have sent off postcards with Greetings from California on the front. We can comfortably use any of these words of welcome…depending on your style. The one you may not be familiar with is our native Chumash. Their greeting is Haku. You will get to see this painting in person at Sullivan Goss gallery in August and September where I get to debut my Califia Series. I challenge you to find the multiple “greetings” in the painting!

The layering I am using in the Califia series is related to the multiple layers found in my monoprinting Archeological Dig Series . I am layering iconic California symbols to create patterns and compositions. Below is an example.

Root to Crown, 22x30, monoprint by Holli Harmon

It is easy to see that I am entranced with our State and our state of being.

Stay well and be happy,

Holli

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Ynez and Barbara, Oil and Cold Wax on Panel, 24x36”

After working on The River’s Journey project for several years, figures started to return to my landscapes.  Borrowing from tradition, the Santa Ynez River morphed into several female figures starting with three small gouaches, creating a miniseries called “The Last Straw”.  These bathing beauties each represented one of the 3 dams we have built to contain water for the southern part of Santa Barbara County.  

Ynez Wringing Her Hair, 20x24” Oil on Panel 2018

As I continued to play with the river as a female muse, more paintings developed relating to our water relationship in California.  These paintings became the foundation for my new Califia Series.   As I explore the many cultural influences that create our multi-faceted State, small narratives get layered and uncovered.  Each painting has a strong female lead, that stands as our State’s namesake, the mythical Califia.

I will unveil the entire series at my upcoming show at Sullivan Goss this summer. You can follow along on instagram and facebook to see the work in progress.