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Sara Renae Holloway is a contemporary painter, mixed media artist, curator, and art instructor currently living and working in Chicago, Illinois. Sara was born in working class Oklahoma and grew up in the “bible belt” of America in the 80’s & early 90’s. Her childhood and adolescence were turbulent at best and Sara left home as soon as she possible could at age 18. After finding herself traveling the United States and living in between Los Angeles and Dallas for the greater part of a decade, she finally decided to grow some permanent roots in Chicago to pursue painting. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Art Education from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 2009. Sara also holds an Illinois State CPS certification with a Type 10 endorsement in Visual Arts and Special Education. 

 

Since 2004, Sara has taught, managed and developed fine art curriculum for a handful of Chicago independent art studios, CPS/Chicago Charter schools, as well as The School Of The Art Institute-Young Artist Studio program.

After serving as the Director Of Education at One River School Of Art + Design in Lincoln Square for two years, Sara decided to pursue her dream of opening her own art studio, school, and collective.

Mind's Eye art Studio & Collective

www.mindseyechicago.com

Over the past 15 years, Sara’s work has been shown across the United States and abroad.

In 2017, Sara and her creative curatorial collaborator Pattie Stell founded the Chicago-based art cooperative: The Judith Contingent. (formerly Secret Tricks)

 

 

Artist Statement:

 

I am foremost interested in emblematic and allegorical portraiture of an emotionally intimate nature. My work is predominantly figurative and is most often inspired by metaphor, historical iconography, poetry, biological patterns, folklore, personal experiences, narratives and memories.

Distorting the form and pushing boundaries has always appealed to me. Although my work contains figurative and naturalistic elements, I am not the biggest fan of the regurgitated “beautiful” tropes of photo-realism in paintings. I think there’s more to exhume and communicate than simply just flexing technique with aesthetically pleasing imagery. I enjoy the idea of attracting and repelling through implied metaphor and challenging subject matter. My creative process is intuitive, highly subjective and thoroughly self-referential. Occasionally, I find myself creating several practically identical works with analogous themes, upon which concepts and ideas are manifested: notes are made and then crossed out again, “mistakes” and patterns are repeated. Sometimes I find myself working out a memory or impression over and over again until I’m exhausted and if I am successful...I finally feel separated from it.

 

Lately, everything I am drawn to embodies perceptions of identity, sexuality, beauty, fear, anxiety, expectation, isolation, strength, desire, trauma and balance.

 

Solo and Group Exhibitions:

2020

Déformer (curator), Oliva Gallery, Chicago, IL

"Ducks On The Magnificent Mile" Chicago Special Olympics, Large-Scale Duck painting & sculptural installation on the Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL

Snakes and Alters, Chicago, IL

2019

Bridging The Gap (curator) One River, Chicago, IL

Trauma, Oliva Gallery, Chicago, IL

State Of The Art Chicago: Featured Artist at McGarryBowen, Chicago, IL 

Womxn Show, Bite Cafe, Chicago, IL 

2018

"Lighthouses On The Magnificent Mile", The Chicago Lighthouse Foundation, sponsored by Lurie Children's Hospital (Permanent Collection), Large-Scale Lighthouse painting & sculptural installation on the Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL

Parade Of Abes, Lincoln Square Chamber Of Commerce public art permanent installation on Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 

Evelyn Nesbit series, commissioned and licensed exclusive wine label series for The Evelyn Hotel and Leonelli’s, New York, NY

Open Spaces: Signs and Symbols, Fraction Print Studio, Kansas City, MO

Where It Happens, The Sisterhood Gallery, New York, NY

Space Oddities Featured Artist, Chicago, IL

2017

Ritual and Recovery, Fox Hole Gallery, Chicago, IL (co-curator)

Memory Hole, Space Oddities, Chicago, IL (co-curator)

You Draw Like A Girl, Logan Square Tattoo, Chicago, IL

Apportions and Apparitions, Green Eye Lounge, Chicago, IL (co-curator)

Art At The Burlington, The Burlington, Chicago, IL (solo)

2016

Subterfuge, The Space, New York, NY

Bones and Cones, Township, Chicago, IL

The Transcendence of Loss, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

Tokyo International Art Fair, Omotesando Hills Space O, Tokyo, Japan

2015

The Cabinet Of Secret Paintings, The Corner Gallery, Chicago, IL

The Kinsey Institute Art Show, Grunwald Gallery of Art at Indiana University-Bloomington, IN

Under The Veil, The Sisterhood Gallery, New York, NY

2014

Atomic Sketch Private Event, Soho House Chicago, Chicago, IL

Flag Mural, Large-Scale (12'x30') outdoor Flagship Tavern, Chicago, IL

The Secret Of The High Priestess, Wicker Park Space, Chicago, IL

Space Oddities Featured Artist, Chicago, IL

Show And Tell, Manic Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Artist To Watch, Elbow Room, Chicago, IL

9th Annual Winter Exhibit, Morpho Gallery, Chicago, IL

He(Art): Cultivate.Create.Circulate, Chicago Artery-Gorilla Tango Theatre, Chicago, IL

2013

"The Flagship" 18th Century Galleon, Large-Scale (20x30') indoor Flagship Tavern, Chicago, IL

PARK (ing) Day 2013, Architecture for Humanity, Cole's Bar, Chicago, IL

Hysteria! Visualizing Female Anxiety, Temple Head Gallery, Chicago, IL

Exquisite Corpse with Ag47, Challengers Comics, Chicago, IL

Uterus Flag Project, Grand Galleria, Escondido, CA

2012

Bridging the Gap: Feminism and Femininity in Art, Skin Gallery, Houston, TX

Frenetic Fringe Festival, Frenetic Theater, Houston, TX

Handmade Promenade, Mass Ave Art Walk, Indianapolis, IN

The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour, International Exhibition via Art House Co-op, Brooklyn, NY

Female Fabrication, The Sisterhood Gallery, New York, NY

Handmade Promenade-Holiday Pop-up Shop, Art Bank, Indianapolis, IN

2011

Buy Art Not People (Featured Artist), Black Cloud Gallery, Chicago, IL

Atomic Sketch Event: Participating Artist/Panelist at The Green Eye Lounge (ongoing), Chicago, IL

The Dance Macabre, Unity Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2010

Small and Stylish, Gallery MK, Chicago, IL

"Knowledge-Justice-Transformation-Equality" (Permanent Mural Installation) Lozano Leadership Academy, Institute of Latino Progress, Chicago, IL

Belle Mystique II, Gallery MK, Chicago, IL

ASE Anniversary Group Show, Evil Olive, Chicago, IL

Knowledge-Justice-Transformation-Equality (permanent mural installation), Institute of Latino Progress,Chicago, IL

The Self-Portrait Project, Brooklyn Art Library, Brooklyn, NY

Women of Deceit, The Sisterhood Gallery, New York, NY

2009

Atomic Sketch Event: Participating Artist/Panelist at Evil Olive (ongoing), Chicago, IL

The School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago Art Exhibition, Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, IL

3-feet High and Rising, Per Populus Gallery, Chicago, IL

The Human Compass, Revolt Gallery, New York, NY

2008

Invited Juror for MyArtContest.com

Community Ofrenda (Temporary Installation), Madison and Wabash, Chicago, IL

George Armstrong School Of International Studies, Chinese "Wish Tree" and Chinese Dragon Puppet/Painting, (Permanent Art Installation), Roger’s Park, IL

"Hollywood Forever" Indoor Wall Murals of Japanese Pop Characters, (Temporary Installation) Hollywood Mirror, Chicago, IL

“Identity, Ritual and Tradition” (Temporary Installation), Casa Guatemala, Chicago, IL

Atomic Sketch Event: participating artist/panelist at Evil Olive (ongoing), Chicago, IL

Weekend Fling-Three person show with Rik Garrett and MD Woodward, All Rise Gallery, Chicago, IL

Outdated, Country Club Chicago, Chicago, IL

I Draw Pictures, The Nerve Gallery, Oak Park, IL

FIAA & Bank Of America Open Gallery Walk, Flat Iron Arts Building, Chicago, IL

Woman Made, Mercury Café, Chicago, IL

The Dirty Show 9, Berts Warehouse Theater,Detroit, MI

Bitter Fruits~A Study Of The Female As Object In Art, Altered Esthetics, Minneapolis, MN

2007 - 2003

Flat Iron Holiday Art Show, Jo-Jo’s Closet, Chicago, IL

Savannah College of Art Open Studio/Graduate Program, Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta, GA

Around The Coyote, Flat Iron Arts Building, Chicago, IL

Mixed-Up, The Mercury Café, Chicago, IL

Red Tent Project, ongoing tour throughout USA and abroad

The Sketchbook Project, Art House, Atlanta, GA

Flat Iron Art Festival, Flat Iron Arts Building, Chicago, IL

The Art Of Sacrifice, Altered Esthetics, Minneapolis, MN

Going Once-Going Twice: The Mirror Art Show and Auction, The Hollywood Mirror, Chicago, IL

Illusions Of Grandeur, Squirrel Space Gallery, New York, NY

Going Once-Going Twice: The Mirror Art Show and Auction, The Hollywood Mirror, Chicago, IL

Illusions Of Grandeur, Squirrel Space Gallery, New York, NY

Strange and Bizarre Art Show, The Peter Jones Studio and Gallery, Chicago, IL

Fifth Annual Spring Art Show and Sale, SAIC Ballroom, Chicago, IL

Just Add Art, The Chicago Building, Chicago, IL

Nuggets: From Ingrid and Sara with Love, The 7th Floor Gallery and Workspace, Chicago, IL

Annual Spring Show of Selected Works, Brookhaven College: School of the Arts, Studio Gallery, Dallas, TX

Dead and Gone, Treehouse Gallery, Dallas, TX

Self-Portraits, The Forum Gallery, Dallas, TX

Publications/Bibliography:

2020 - Déformer, Gallery News, Fall 2020, https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/deformer

2018 - The Hand, July Issue 21, Quarterly Publication, @The.Hand.magazine

2017- Knife Play Interview, Los Angeles, CA

https://www.facebook.com/notes/knife-play-curating-from-hell/central-questions-for-artist-sara-renae-holloway/1691874274166541/

2010 - Self-Portrait Project Book, Art House Co-Op

2008 - Brooklyn Art Library (Permanent Donation) Hand-Made Book, "Fire and Forgotten", Brooklyn, NY

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