Holly E. Gilfillan Ready
609 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
(207) 632-1027
(207) 799-2539
hready2539@aol.com

Artist's Statement

From early childhood, I was influenced by the artists in my family.  To this day, when I walk into a studio and smell the aroma of turpentine and a freshly painted surface, I feel that I have returned "home."

Living on the Maine seacoast, with its abstract shapes and constantly changing light and reflections, provides a continuous source of inspiration. The surfaces of water, land, and sky are incredibly diverse, and the diffusion and intensity of light in each are unique. Hour by hour, day by day, season by season, the light constantly changes.

Light and color are my avenues for involving the viewer and instilling a lasting impression. I want color to convey the inner experience, to transcend the viewer.  My palette holds the colors that I'm seeing, the colors that I'm feeling, and the relationship between them.

My work reflects the emotions felt while painting each piece. The layering and building of paint enable me to get beneath the surface and create the depth and luminosity that I crave in paintings.  From the very first time I apply a stroke of paint to a blank surface, the interaction between the painting and my paintbrush becomes a dance of intuitive experiences.

Although my work is strongly influenced by changing light, I’m constantly exploring different formats and compositions to further enhance the moment felt.  I hope that I never feel too comfortable with the medium or the process.  I strive to be constantly challenged and growing with my art.

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Artist's Resume
Education
1988-1994B. F.A., Maine College of Art
Spring Street
Portland, Maine
1976Lasell College
Commonwealth Avenue
Auburndale, Massachusetts

Selected Exhibitions and Affiliations
September 2006Black Frame Show
Grapheteria
Portland, Maine
July 2006Barn Gallery Juried Show
Ogunquit, Maine
March 2006Julia and David White Artists’ Colony
Artist’s Residency, Costa Rica
February 2006ABC Arts Collaborative
Troubh Heisler Law Offices
511 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
January-February 2006Woodlands Country Club
Falmouth, Maine
October 20052005 New England MECA Alumni Exhibit
Gateway Gallery at Grapheteria
Portland, Maine
October 2005The Wonderful World of Art:  Landscapes & Seascapes
Irvine Gallery of Art at River Tree Center for the Arts
35 Western Avenue
Kennebunk, ME 04043
September 2005Black Frame Show
Portland, ME
August 2005One Person Show
Cygnet Gallery
52 Cottage Street
Bar Harbor, ME
August 2005Borestone Mountain Retreat Residency
Elliotsville Township, Maine
Maine Audubon
June 2005Pura Vida, Costa Rica Residency
Sculpture Studio
656 Congress Street,  Portland, ME 04101
February 2005ABC Arts Collaborative
Troubh Heisler Law Offices
511 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
February 2005Julia and David White Artists’ Colony
Artist’s Residency, Costa Rica
November 2004Elizabeth Moss Gallery, Falmouth, Maine
Winter, Through Women’s Eyes
October 2004Black Frame Show, Portland, Maine
January 2004June Fitzpatrick Gallery, Portland, Maine;
Seven MECA 1994 Painters - Ten Years Later
2003-2006Maine College of Art
Annual Art Auction Committee Member
November 2003Institute of Contemporary Art, Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine
Juried Alumni/ae Exhibition
April 2003Alla Prima International, Taos, New Mexico
Plein Air Painting group that meets annually
June 2002Gallery at THE CLOWN Portland, Maine
Pier Pressure
February 2002Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Holly Ready - Recent Works - Solo Show
December 2000Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Holly Ready - Light Through the Landscape - Solo Show
October 2000Falmouth Library, Falmouth, Maine
Solo Show
August 1999Institute of Contemporary Art, Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine
Juried Alumni/ae Exhibition
1998-1999Greenhut Galleries, Portland, Maine
1999-2000Arden Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
April 1997Hupper Gallery, Hebron Academy, Hebron, Maine
Solo Show
Summer 1996Gallery at Diamond Cove, Portland, Maine
Group Show
March 1996Portland Public Library, Portland, Maine
Solo Show
1982-2005Annual Prout’s Neck Art Show
2001-2003Gallery Director/Curator,  Gallery at THE CLOWN,  Portland, Maine
2001-presentArt Instructor/private lessons

Awards and Publications
November 2005People’s Choice Award,  Late Day, MECA Annual Art Auction, Portland, Maine
February 20051st Prize, Early Day, Oil, 20" x 20", 2004; ABC Arts Collaborative, Troubh Heisler, Portland, Maine
June 2004They Changed Their Sky,  University of Maine Press, Maine 2004
September 2002Painting Award, Labor Day Art Show, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
September 2001Painting Award, Labor Day Art Show, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
August 2000Juried local art show
September 1999Two Painting Awards, Labor Day Art Show, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
September 1997Painting Award, Labor Day Art Show, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
August 1996Best in Show, WCSH Portland Art Show, Portland, Maine
1974-2007Charitable donations to various local fundraisers

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