Welcome To My World!
Holly Hunt was born and raised on Long Island, New York. Growing up in a working class family, imagination and creativity occupied her time. Throughout her childhood, fascinated by her grandfather’s street photography that adorned the walls of the home, she was naturally drawn to her first camera- a Polaroid. However, this interest wasn’t fully cultivated until her late thirties when she purchased her first DSLR and discovered her best images were captured inside a world she only considered a hobby from her college years: exploring the abandoned.
Initially, the images were born from curiosity of entering these abandoned places, but now the subject matter, although still captured through the lens of abandonment, symbolizes more than just a hobby of exploring derelict places. It represents parts of her life that, having been lost from her memory, is now found again by her camera.
Holly is a self-taught photographer and volunteers her time with local photography clubs and art associations, as both a mentor and member. She lives with her two dogs and is a certified yoga and meditation instructor. She is an avid-traveler, foodie and instructs photography courses all over the New York area.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Most of my art is captured in the world of abandonment.
Since a life-altering surgery in 2015, I have been living with an unfortunate side effect of memory loss. Although minor, it does affect my day to day life. Exploring abandoned places and having the opportunity to walk through the remnants of another person’s life triggers memories within me that I have forgotten about in my own life. Once that memory floods my thoughts, I recreate my past with my camera, often placing myself within frame.
In the colors of the peeling wallpaper, I recall my childhood home. In the details of the rotting wood, I’m brought back to memories of my grandmother. A wraparound porch reminds me of my favorite television show as a kid. In the sun streaming through the window of a farmhouse onto a bed covered in a quilt, I’m reminded of my mother’s cancer diagnosis. The quiet in the rooms that once housed lavish parties that are now crumbling, or in the peace in the spaces where patients and doctors once walked that are now merely dust, offers me a world at my fingertips where I can find myself, and fully create the art I was always meant to create. It is in the darkness and decay of these places that I’m able to let go of my fears and face my inner demons. It is where I feel the most alive. Each and every image I capture tells a piece of my story.
I’ve been blessed to have exhibited my art in museums, vineyards, libraries, galleries, and restaurants all over the New York metropolitan area. Over the pandemic, I wrote and published my book, Exploring Home- an autobiographical photo book containing one hundred images of my work paired with one hundred stories about my life.
~Holly Hunt
Initially, the images were born from curiosity of entering these abandoned places, but now the subject matter, although still captured through the lens of abandonment, symbolizes more than just a hobby of exploring derelict places. It represents parts of her life that, having been lost from her memory, is now found again by her camera.
Holly is a self-taught photographer and volunteers her time with local photography clubs and art associations, as both a mentor and member. She lives with her two dogs and is a certified yoga and meditation instructor. She is an avid-traveler, foodie and instructs photography courses all over the New York area.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Most of my art is captured in the world of abandonment.
Since a life-altering surgery in 2015, I have been living with an unfortunate side effect of memory loss. Although minor, it does affect my day to day life. Exploring abandoned places and having the opportunity to walk through the remnants of another person’s life triggers memories within me that I have forgotten about in my own life. Once that memory floods my thoughts, I recreate my past with my camera, often placing myself within frame.
In the colors of the peeling wallpaper, I recall my childhood home. In the details of the rotting wood, I’m brought back to memories of my grandmother. A wraparound porch reminds me of my favorite television show as a kid. In the sun streaming through the window of a farmhouse onto a bed covered in a quilt, I’m reminded of my mother’s cancer diagnosis. The quiet in the rooms that once housed lavish parties that are now crumbling, or in the peace in the spaces where patients and doctors once walked that are now merely dust, offers me a world at my fingertips where I can find myself, and fully create the art I was always meant to create. It is in the darkness and decay of these places that I’m able to let go of my fears and face my inner demons. It is where I feel the most alive. Each and every image I capture tells a piece of my story.
I’ve been blessed to have exhibited my art in museums, vineyards, libraries, galleries, and restaurants all over the New York metropolitan area. Over the pandemic, I wrote and published my book, Exploring Home- an autobiographical photo book containing one hundred images of my work paired with one hundred stories about my life.
~Holly Hunt
HOLLY HUNT ARTIST CV
AWARDS
2022 Most Outstanding Photography Award
Gallery North, Setauket NY
2022 Best in Photography - 3rd place for "Self Portrait"
Babylon Citizens Council of the Arts, Babylon NY
2021 People’s Virtual Choice Award- 1st place for "The Wait"
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
EXHIBITIONS
Harborfields Public Library, Greenlawn, NY
Solo Show, December 2022
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show, "Long Island Biennial 2022", October 2022 to January 2023
Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts, Babylon NY
Group Show, "32nd Annual Judged Art Show", September 2022
Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station NY
Solo Show, August 2022
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Patchogue NY
Juried Group Show, "Patchworks", July to August 2022
Firefly Artists, Northport NY
Juried Group Show, October to November 2021
Island Kava, Patchogue NY
Solo Show, August 2021
The Catbird Seat Gallery, Sayville NY
Group Show "My Long Island", August 2021
Toast Coffee House by JI Presents, Port Jefferson NY
Group Show "Flower Power", July 2021
The Cheese Patch, Patchogue NY
Solo Show "Checkmate", March to April 2021
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show “Long Island Biennial 2020”, October 2020 to January 2021
Patchogue Medford Library, Patchogue NY
Member Show, September to December 2020
East Islip Public Library, East Islip NY
Solo Show, January to February 2020
Watermark Gallery, St James NY
Group Show, June to July 2019
Rosalie Dimon Gallery, Jamesport NY
Solo Show, May to September 2019
Emma Clarke Library Gallery, Setauket NY
Solo Show, April 2019
Harmony Vineyard, Head of the Harbor NY
Solo Show, January to February 2019
Riverhead Town Hall with East End Arts, Riverhead NY
Solo Show, August to November 2018
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show “Long Island Biennial 2018”, September to November 2018
American Beauty Bistro, Massapequa NY
Solo Show, January to February 2020 & Solo Show, July to August 2018
Middle Country Library, Centereach NY
Solo Show, February to March 2020 & Solo Show, January to February 2018
Clovis Point Winery, Jamesport NY
Solo Show, August to September 2017
Paper Doll Vintage Boutique, Sayville NY
Group Shows: Independence (2016), Celebration (2016), Portrait (2016), Fear (2016), Water (2017), Change (2017), Stories (2018), Home (2018), Music (2018)
PUBLICATIONS/SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Publications
Self-published “Exploring Home” (July 2020)
Cover Stories
The Times of Huntington
The Times of Middle Country
The Village Beacon Record
The Port Times Record
The Village Times Herald
The Times of Smithtown
Full Page Articles
The Independent East End Newspaper
Northforker Newspaper
Suffolk Times Newspaper
Times Beacon Record Newspaper
Vacate Magazine
Chaotique Magazine
The Suffolk County News
Dan's Papers
Retro Lovely Magazine
Small Articles/Radio/Video/Podcasts
Newsday
LI Pulse Magazine
LI Advance
Podcasts/Interviews
Art & Fashion with BluChip Marketing
State of the Arts WPKN-FM 89.5 CT
MCPL Podcast
Brazenly Beautiful Podcast
NoTracers Podcast
Speaking Engagements
Artists in the Gallery - Heckscher Museum of Art
Virtual Panel Conversations with the Curator - Heckscher Museum of Art
Special Guest - Port Jefferson Photography Group
Community/Volunteerism
Volunteer for South Bay Art Association
Events Coordinator for Patchogue Arts Council Photography Group
Creator and Host of "The Great Smart Phone PAC-tography Challenge"
Photography Instructor of "Smart Phone Photography 101" and "Smart Phone Photography 102"
AWARDS
2022 Most Outstanding Photography Award
Gallery North, Setauket NY
2022 Best in Photography - 3rd place for "Self Portrait"
Babylon Citizens Council of the Arts, Babylon NY
2021 People’s Virtual Choice Award- 1st place for "The Wait"
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
EXHIBITIONS
Harborfields Public Library, Greenlawn, NY
Solo Show, December 2022
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show, "Long Island Biennial 2022", October 2022 to January 2023
Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts, Babylon NY
Group Show, "32nd Annual Judged Art Show", September 2022
Comsewogue Public Library, Port Jefferson Station NY
Solo Show, August 2022
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Patchogue NY
Juried Group Show, "Patchworks", July to August 2022
Firefly Artists, Northport NY
Juried Group Show, October to November 2021
Island Kava, Patchogue NY
Solo Show, August 2021
The Catbird Seat Gallery, Sayville NY
Group Show "My Long Island", August 2021
Toast Coffee House by JI Presents, Port Jefferson NY
Group Show "Flower Power", July 2021
The Cheese Patch, Patchogue NY
Solo Show "Checkmate", March to April 2021
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show “Long Island Biennial 2020”, October 2020 to January 2021
Patchogue Medford Library, Patchogue NY
Member Show, September to December 2020
East Islip Public Library, East Islip NY
Solo Show, January to February 2020
Watermark Gallery, St James NY
Group Show, June to July 2019
Rosalie Dimon Gallery, Jamesport NY
Solo Show, May to September 2019
Emma Clarke Library Gallery, Setauket NY
Solo Show, April 2019
Harmony Vineyard, Head of the Harbor NY
Solo Show, January to February 2019
Riverhead Town Hall with East End Arts, Riverhead NY
Solo Show, August to November 2018
Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington NY
Juried Show “Long Island Biennial 2018”, September to November 2018
American Beauty Bistro, Massapequa NY
Solo Show, January to February 2020 & Solo Show, July to August 2018
Middle Country Library, Centereach NY
Solo Show, February to March 2020 & Solo Show, January to February 2018
Clovis Point Winery, Jamesport NY
Solo Show, August to September 2017
Paper Doll Vintage Boutique, Sayville NY
Group Shows: Independence (2016), Celebration (2016), Portrait (2016), Fear (2016), Water (2017), Change (2017), Stories (2018), Home (2018), Music (2018)
PUBLICATIONS/SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Publications
Self-published “Exploring Home” (July 2020)
Cover Stories
The Times of Huntington
The Times of Middle Country
The Village Beacon Record
The Port Times Record
The Village Times Herald
The Times of Smithtown
Full Page Articles
The Independent East End Newspaper
Northforker Newspaper
Suffolk Times Newspaper
Times Beacon Record Newspaper
Vacate Magazine
Chaotique Magazine
The Suffolk County News
Dan's Papers
Retro Lovely Magazine
Small Articles/Radio/Video/Podcasts
Newsday
LI Pulse Magazine
LI Advance
Podcasts/Interviews
Art & Fashion with BluChip Marketing
State of the Arts WPKN-FM 89.5 CT
MCPL Podcast
Brazenly Beautiful Podcast
NoTracers Podcast
Speaking Engagements
Artists in the Gallery - Heckscher Museum of Art
Virtual Panel Conversations with the Curator - Heckscher Museum of Art
Special Guest - Port Jefferson Photography Group
Community/Volunteerism
Volunteer for South Bay Art Association
Events Coordinator for Patchogue Arts Council Photography Group
Creator and Host of "The Great Smart Phone PAC-tography Challenge"
Photography Instructor of "Smart Phone Photography 101" and "Smart Phone Photography 102"