Holly is a self-taught artist who finds joy in turning her personal experiences into works of art. When she is not painting, she is working as a scientist to protect biodiversity around the world.
The name Ilex Artwork is a play on the genus of Holly trees, which includes Ilex opaca, the American holly, as well as Ilex guayusa, the Amazonian tea, and Ilex integra, an ornamental found in Asia. In this way, Ilex represents a global connection between very different landscapes and living things, which is a central theme of the art.
Holly studied biology, mycology, and international communication at Hampshire College and has trained as a safari guide. Her work ranges from biomedical art and illustration to surrealism. As an up-and-coming artist, she looks forward to the opportunities and creations that the future holds.
"I find the most inspiration in the things that I see with my own eyes, whether that thing is an animal that I have reached out and touched, like a sea turtle, an experience I have had, like a profound moment in meditation, or a person I have known, like a child with HIV. When I see something, I haven't really engaged with it until my pencil has captured its curves and nuances." - Holly
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