Holly Elizabeth Ramsay

Holly started art making while drawing in chalk on the driveway of her parents’ home by the Avon River in Ōtautahi imagining an infinite drawing that has continued to present day. The materials Holly uses are as varied as her subject matter where collecting and bringing together ideas often in the form of metaphor are her starting point. Subject matter that is traditional such as portrait, still life and landscape often include ideas taken from current and historic issues about identity. Photography, sketching with dry and mixed media, painting with water colours, ink, acrylic, gouache, oils and various mediums have become a language based in traditional purpose. Holly also has extensive experience working with ceramic processes and gaffer glass casting.

Holly has a diploma in visual communications and a Bachelor of Design, worked as a commercial artist, taught visual art for 25 years in New Zealand secondary schools, and is a Usui Reiki master and teacher. Holly has exhibited widely within New Zealand notably the National Portrait Gallery, Pah Homestead Art House Trust Gallery. Her work currently is in commercial galleries such as Form, HAPA, 105 New Brighton.

Her special interest in creating ceramic wildlife characters raises funds for wildlife sanctuaries. She also sells reproductions of her artwork through her website: www.hollyelizabethramsay.com

“Art is something that encompasses life for me and is intrinsic to what it is to be human, what may be hard to express can be explored through making and it is a total privilege to support other makers.”