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Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeWe were lucky to catch up with Andrew (Ana’ Alu) Hollimon recently and have shared our conversation below.
Andrew (Ana’ Alu), thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
Am I happy as an artist or creative? Short answer: ”yes”. Longer answer: “Life has offered and granted me innumerable opportunities, creating art that will live well beyond my years is more than gratifying. From work in MILITARY INTEL (SIGINT, ELINT) with the reward of Top Secret Security Clearance, through the attainment of an MBA, through years as a Fortune 250 corporate Human Resources Manager, and the culmination of a rewarding life as a Business Administration Department Chair, I have experienced the best and worse in life. None of my pre-art experiences match the creation of an art piece that draws my closing thought….I like it. Actually, art allows daily reminders of the reality at some time years ago I reached the highest level of Maslow‘s Hierarchy of Needs.: SELF ACTUALIZED. . And that is good.
While I don’t feel I ever worked in a regular job, creating art reaches deep into areas of my brain where things live and memories go untapped. There are times when working on a piece something on the canvas surface will manifest and guide the direction of where I am going with that area of the piece. A moment of art guidance, I think enhanced, by a full life with many experiences including world travel… and teenage inner-city hard knocks. While many many artists live life as artists from a young age forward, I feel the delineated experiences above and the processing of my brain shaped what I do in art. With a few unique details of the jobs stated and delineated above, one can possibly appreciate why I feel art is my pinnacle of life and it can be understood more fully with a few final points.
Imagine? Imagine being told by a military INTEL OPS analyst the strange cadence signal I captured was probably a Soviet spy in the middle portion of the US. I was at the time serving in the Air Force in Alaska. A signal never to be heard again and a signal of great importance to a US adversary. Imagine recruiting engineers and software professionals in most major US cities for a major defense contractor. Imagine the personal reward of calling a person to offer a position they worked hard to attain. Imagine teaching at the college level and recognizing when your students “Got It.”
All things considers not one of those experiences would fit the “I am happy I am not doing that anymore”. In fact, they were each gratifying and rewarding looking back. A reality that shines a bright light on my satisfaction and joy with my work as an artist.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My path to 2D artistry started around age five when holding a pencil became a learned skill. It didn’t take long for an innate desire to create to come forth via stick figure drawing. From that early start. I drew and sketched almost daily until late grade school or early high school before it all ceased.
For many years my interest in art hibernated as post-high school experience found me enlisting in the Air Force at age 17 (honorable discharged after four years at age 21). Post military years included college (through graduate school MBA), working as a computer operator through undergraduate years, and recruiting for a major defense contractor followed by many Human Resources management. All prior to closing out my working life as a business school educator.
I should now fill two voids in my story to this point. First, as previously written I have yet to have even one art lesson. My art is a gift honed developed, and crafted via discipline and devotion over time as I pursued my MBA. Second point, the gap in early high school home art and zero art lessons was the result of two key factors: inner-city living (dare not confess to a quest for art in my neighborhood… West End St. Louis, Missouri). Also, the reality of discovering girls as more than the competition in softball or (aging myself ) tough competitors in backyard marbles games.
All said to this point oil paint was my first art set purchase in a quest for a hobby. From that point of developing my style of painting ensued and only recently have, I started to explore acrylic painting.
My varied art styles can present problems in marketing my works. Some critiques feel I practice too many art styles. Consideration is of less importance as I have client collectors in each style of produced work. In fact, one of my most proud realities in artistry is a sale of a wildlife piece to a client in Monte Carlo Monaco the year I was booked for a tour of Southern France. My stop in Monte Carlo included a brief stop outside the client’s residence but I decided not to intrude on the life of the client. It was nonetheless a great experience as my piece may have hung on a wall in that building so many miles from my home.
From figurative pieces to geometric abstraction, I offer potential buyers a wide variety of art. A point which begs an admission that I sell to a wide variety of buyers in an equally wide income spectrum.. Higher-end buyers aren’t a problem; the problem arises when a buyer wants an original piece of art but cannot afford the desired piece. How we work through the problem is a story for another time.
Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?
NFTs? I am not fond of the current popular acceptance of NFTs, I stand old school. No, I am not an artist who is ready to move into NFTs. While I am certain there are lots of responses to the following question, it is a deep concern for which I cannot answer ( even to myself).
What happens if a serious art collector/investor purchases a piece of art ( an actual art piece) at a price of $25 ,000 and has issues with the artist’s blockchain storage of the original and selling NFTs?
The question isn’t posed for lots of responses; as I have no interest in responses.. The question is a root consideration that feeds an aversion to NFTs for my work. Final admission. I am deeply averse to Crypto vs actual USD.
As stated I am old school and a fully self-certified OG.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
“Unlearn” isn’t apropos for this answer but bare with me as I respond.
There is a substantial school of thought which thrives around the notion of “cohesiveness”. For me, the word has meant so-called non-artists and non-collectors as well as “know it alls” telling me my work is too diverse. One person had the temerity to enter exhibit my space and tell me people want to buy this while pointing to my art signature. His point was the signature on (my) diverse styles has little value. As I indicated I reject his premise, he eventually told an associate he didn’t like my work. Revealing a relevant question. Well, why was his ass in my space even offering a comment? Why not walk on by?
There is merit to “ cohesiveness” and I can actually “dig that”. But, my first art focus, mission, and satisfaction point is me. I do what I want as projects. with inner core, satisfaction comes first. Also, I have collectors who buy each and every art style I create.
Aren’t there quite a few very famous artists back through the millenniums who created various art styles? I believe so.
So, “ lesson unlearn” doesn’t fit as I am not convinced my creating art in only one style works best for me, potential buyers, and some collectors. I hope people who feel differently aren’t offended by my aversion to only creating works in one style.
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