Artist: Tammy Holland
Alaska resident Tammy Holland is a multimedia artist and visual steward of a state whose natural wonders are unlike any other in the U.S. Tammy was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and grew up at her family’s fish camp in the Yukon River area near Rampart. She has a proud heritage of ancestors from Minto, Fort Yukon, and Nushagak.
Tammy is living a subsistence lifestyle in Interior Alaska, which means only as much food and funds as she needs for basic living needs. Her mother is Roxy Wright, famed sprint musher who retired from sled dog racing in the 90’s, and made a career comeback when she captured her fourth GCI Open North American Championship title in 2017 at age 66. Tammy’s artwork has a graphic quality, which likely springs from the aesthetic of her father, Mike Brooks, a sign maker. Tammy’s art is symbiotically inspired by her immersive life in Alaska, and she creates paintings and sculpture that reflect Alaska’s rich offerings.
“Creating art is part of everything I do. I wake with new ideas and thoughts I would like to express. I am interested in starting a conversation about engaging in moments, of experiencing the full spectrum of our sensory perception. The sounds, smells, tastes, and textural richness that are subconsciously associated with imagery. I am interested in appreciating nature and often play with proportion and perspective to draw attention to all the gifts I have received living in this rugged land.”
Tammy also makes copper and silver jewelry, as well as small cast and welded sculptures. She uses materials representative of her lifestyle and surroundings, like bones, recycled metal and wood, and often paints on brushed aluminum, wood, and canvas — and uses resin — for her multimedia work. Tammy has the art creds: she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alaska where she majored in sculpture and minored in painting and business. But it’s her upbringing in Alaska’s Interior region that has left a lasting impression that informs her work. Her pieces aim to “subtly approach a conversation about nature, resources, and the footprint we leave on the earth.”
“It is my hope that my work will inspire viewers to take a moment to appreciate the landscape and consider the footprint that we are collectively leaving.”
Tammy has received several competitive public art commissions in Fairbanks and Anchorage including two installations at Ryan Middle School in Fairbanks and a project underway for the Spenard Road Corridor project in Anchorage to be installed in summer 2019. Her artwork and jewelry are often available at the Gathering Place at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer; the Charlotte Jensen Native Arts and Crafts art market during Anchorage’s Fur Rendezvous Festival; Two Friends Gallery in Anchorage; and the Alaska House in Fairbanks. Her work can also be purchased online. Check out her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/tammy.holland.10/about?lst=100024310171937%3A1440868177%3A1558219603