Nevada's Online State News Journal
 
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Scenes Of Nevada
by Erik Holland
Erik Holland is an award winning artist whose paintings hang in many collections world wide. Born in Detroit, and raised in Chicago, Holland showed an interest in drawing buildings at an early age. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, the Art Students League of New York and the San Francisco Academy of Art College.

For a long time, Holland painted and put the results in the closet. Then, in 1991, he read an article on plein air painting and decided to give it a try. On his third plein air excursion, he was painting the ACT theatre in San Francisco when a woman came out and offered to buy it. The woman's name was Rosemary Clooney.

In 1992, Holland moved to Alaska, where he painted numerous murals and traded paintings for his rent at a downtown Fairbanks hotel. He then spent the mural money he earned running for the Alaska Statehouse on a platform opposing clear cutting.

In 1999, Holland moved to Reno, Nevada, fulfilling his dream to live in the high desert. In 2001, He had a one-man show at Silver State Gallery, and he has had several one man shows since. He makes his living executing commissions, selling paintings, teaching, and drawing political cartoons for several publications.

--Editor