Featured artist: Vic Hollins
watercolor and mixed media on Ampersand Aquabord
Inspired heavily by the desert, patterns, and color, Vic Hollins' illustrations are vibrant and complex. Cacti surround her bright red historic bungalow studio in downtown Tucson, AZ sparking her creativity.
Q: You have written and illustrated a comic book series Wilder. Have you always been a fan of comics?
I didn’t grow up loving comics as a young child, but in high school was shown a manga by some friends that sparked my interest. I loved the amount of imagery that formed its own world inside a book. From that point on, I was hooked and have made many comics since!
In my adult life as an artist, they now inspire me in different ways. It is truly unbelievable the sheer amount of work that goes into a $5.00 comic. Also, many people don’t know about the huge underground world of independently published comic books. They are typically not about superheroes but so much more. People create these ‘indie’ comics for their sheer passion instead of a paycheck, which is refreshing in its own right.
pen and ink on Ampersand Claybord
Q: Once a week, you teach watercolor classes at senior communities. As the teacher, is there anything you have learned from this experience?
For over six years now, I have taught workshops all over the US for Royal Talens as an art ambassador. I would demonstrate how to use their art supplies to groups at art stores, universities, and conventions, to a variety of skill levels, sometimes online and sometimes even traveling internationally. The opportunities for traveling and demonstrating painting have been incredible. That said, painting with seniors is easily the most fulfilling teaching I have ever done.
I have learned so much from my experiences with them, but the thing that stands out above all else is the power of artmaking. The actual act of making art can bring so much joy.
In most cases, the result doesn’t even matter. Instead, we focus on enjoying the process. I now think of this often as I create my own illustrations!
watercolor and mixed media on Ampersand Unprimed Basswood
Q: Eyes are prevalent in your pieces. Is this intentional?
Feminine eyes are my greatest muse. Eyes have always been this reoccurring theme throughout my art because of the attention they demand. I am always captivated by the expressions that a single eye can portray. Visually there’s a lot to focus on when illustrating eyes, so much form and texture, not to mention the colors. I tend to get lost in the detail while creating them.
Technique aside, the amount of symbology and meaning associated with eyes are endless. They are most frequently referred to as the windows of the soul. The shrew of mystery that eyes evoke leave the painting’s intention to the viewer, to be interpreted as they see fit.
watercolor and mixed media on Ampersand Unprimed Basswood
Q: You are currently rebuilding a 1969 Plymouth Barracuda. Do your creative and car worlds collide? How?
After painting all day, there’s nothing like the great escape of working on something completely different, and that’s why I love them both. My fiancé is also an artist; he enjoys motorcycles, and I love muscle cars. Just two years ago, I bought the 69 ‘Cuda (my dream car), and we’ve touched every bolt, panel, inch, and part of this car to get it running. It’s a special thing to put so much effort, work, and love into a project. I find myself getting wrapped up this way in both my art and car.
watercolor and mixed media on Ampersand Claybord
Q: You also paint murals. Which do you enjoy more, painting large-scale or small-scale?
I enjoy painting illustrations in my studio more than painting murals outdoors. They both have enjoyable aspects, but with the smaller pieces, you can view the illustration in its entirety rather than climbing down a ladder to view the entire scope of the large-scale piece to ensure that the brush stoke you just made looks good. I also feel like when designing murals, you may have to sacrifice details or paint something in a different way than you’d like to because of the size or application.
Overall, the flexibility of creating smaller art is more comfortable. With that in mind, the impact that a huge painting can have is truly incredible, and aerosol is quite fun! Perhaps later in my career, I’ll have a chance to paint a few more murals, and my mind will change.
acrylic on Ampersand Unprimed Basswood
Q: You have stated that you are “consistently inspired by women.” What women have you drawn inspiration from?
My grandmother piqued my interest in the art world at a very young age. I have vivid memories of her showing me how to use watercolor and her paintings of peacocks on the walls of her home. My mother encouraged me as I grew and still does to this day. Currently, I love to see female artists’ unique voices and their accomplishments in the art scene. My art has gone through many styles and changes throughout the years, as any artist does, but the one constant is the figurative subject matter of women. I resonate with my womanhood, and femininity is an integral part of the artwork I create.
watercolor and mixed media on Ampersand Unprimed Basswood
Q: What do you love most about Ampersand products for your work?
Ampersand helps make my job easier because the surface is consistent and high quality. I mainly use the unprimed Basswood cradled panels. They are extremely versatile! I use them for many different types of art, but my go-to is priming them with transparent watercolor ground. Mixed media watercolor works on top like a dream, and of course, you’ll get the added bonus of having the beautiful wood grain show throughout your illustration. They come in a variety of sizes; I prefer the 1.5” deep edge, so there’s no need to frame!
Lately, I’ve been playing around with layering frisket, watercolor, and colored pencils on Aquabord. Because my illustrations have so many layers, working on a more durable surface that can take a lot of both paint and dry mediums is beneficial. Also, using Micron Pens on Claybord feels like drawing with liquid pearls. It’s so smooth, and when you add a wet brush, you can get such flawless blends! Can you tell I’m a bit of an eclectic art addict yet?!
Artist Bio:
Vic Hollins has a BFA emphasizing illustration and is interested in creating beautiful layered, mixed-media illustrations.
Since 2016, Vic has been an art ambassador for Royal Talens and has internationally taught workshops, demos, and paints for them often. She has worked closely with various other art distributors such as Sakura, Princeton, Strathmore, and Ampersand Art.
Vic runs an Etsy shop that features her comic book series, self-published card game, and original illustrations. Although seemingly always in the studio, Vic does make room for a few things in her heart besides just artwork. Vic loves cats, chai tea, and old Mopars. To see more of Vic's work, visit her website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Barracuda Instagram.
To learn more about the Ampersand surfaces that Vic Hollins uses, visit the Unprimed Basswood, Claybord, or Aquabord pages.
