Barry Dwayne Hollis
October 25th - November 24th
Barry Dwayne Hollis
"The role of artist as I see it is both complicated and simple. Complicated in that the specific short term goals and tasks, selling works, exhibiting work, gaining acceptance, defending against critics, overcoming prejudice, learning new skills, finding inspiration, can be dizzying.
Simple in that your only true task is to create work. To leave a legacy. It is the thing that I find most enthralling about being an artist. When I am long gone, my works will travel like ambassadors into the future, reflecting my soul and the soul of my generation and my time.
As humans the only way we can immortalize ourselves is through what we leave behind. I choose to leave art!"
It All Counts
Lifelong artist Barry Dwayne Hollis has been living the dream in Santa Barbara since 1988. For the past 27 years, he has called the same Stagecoach Road studio home, becoming an integral part of the mountain community. Originally trained in Photographic Illustration at the renowned Brooks Institute, Barry has evolved his artistic journey by expanding from two-dimensional work into the realm of three-dimensional sculpture, a transition he embraced in 1996.
Hollis has focused his creative energy through photography, painting, mosaics and three-dimensional sculptural works, experimenting with a diverse range of materials. His primary interest has since shifted to metals, particularly carbon steel and bronze. After working extensively with the delicate medium of photography, Hollis finds great fulfillment in creating pieces that occupy real space and require less constant oversight to thrive.
The resilience of metal resonates deeply with his identity as an artist. These works inherently convey strength, stability, and permanence—qualities that comfort him as their creator.
The inspiration for his sculptures stems from two key sources: the three-dimensional forms and shapes that surround us every day, and the tradition of mask-making across various cultures around the world. By integrating these ideas into his creative process, he is able to bring new life to his art.
Hollis is drawn to themes of recognition, empowerment, and the reincarnation of the overlooked—those things that are underappreciated, left behind, or deemed ordinary. By assembling these elements, he create something fresh and vibrant. The abstract sculptures that Hollis creates reflect the world around us, serving as a reminder that with an open mind, anything can be transformed.
The faces in Hollis's work evoke a sense of connection, tapping into a rich tradition that allows for freedom of interpretation. Through simplification, elaboration, and expansion, these sculptures can elicit a wide range of emotions—whimsy, bewilderment, joy, intimidation, fear, contentment, and love, among others. Each piece invites viewers to engage and explore their own feelings and interpretations.
