Scenic inspiration
After retiring to Yuma area, Foothills artist finds creative influence in desert landscape
An artist whose works are iconic to a planned community in Maryland is now working on landscapes of the Desert Southwest following her retirement to the Yuma community.
According to her online biography, Gail Holliday began her career as an artist-in-residence printmaker for The Rouse Company under the direction of James W. Rouse, who founded Columbia, a census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland.
Prior to her work in printmaking, Holliday studied at a now defunct liberal arts college under Corita Kent, also known as Sister Mary Corita Kent, who was a wellknown American Roman Catholic nun, artist and educator.
Holliday ended up creating work for five metal pole “trees” that featured her images of Columbia on 25 metal “leaves” that were placed near the entrance of Columbia’s exhibit center. Following the closure of the center in 1989, the pole trees were taken down and the posters were put into storage with the Columbia Archives.
For the area’s 50th birthday, Holliday recently returned to Maryland to restore panels she painted five decades ago which featured images of Columbia. The Columbia Archives decided to display the refurbished works again for area’s 50 year milestone.
“The panels represent
a whole series of posters that I did,” Holliday said.
The posters are also featured in the book “Oh, you must live in Columbia: The origins of place names in Columbia, Maryland.”
Following her work with Rouse, Holliday created her own graphics and sign company whose notable projects include way finding signs for the Java History Trail at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and holiday seasonal cards for the Enterprise Foundation in Columbia.
“I didn’t want to be a starving artist so I decided to run a business that was related to graphic arts,” she said.
Her work is also part of the private collection of Susan Boyle, a Scottish singer who became wellknown worldwide after she appeared as a contestant on the television show “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009.
Two years ago, Holliday made the decision to “downsize” and live a simpler life, so she headed to Yuma.
While here, Holliday has been soaking up her surroundings as creative influences on her art, much like she did in Columbia.
“I see beauty in a lot of things, Holliday said. “Also, I have done some acrylic paintings of people and animals.”
Holliday has completed two murals of desert landscapes that adorn the outside of her home that took her about 50 to 60 hours each to complete. Her work of Yuma scenery has also been on display at the Yuma Art Center.
“Art is in her blood,” said Sue Grimshaw, Holliday’s neighbor and a fellow artist who works with acrylics. “We met because of our dogs and then we found out that we are of the few that do art from ‘the box.’”
Coming up, Holliday will have two paintings on display as part of the 3rd annual Art and Poetry exhibition that will be held at the Foothills Library on Friday and Saturday, February 16-17. The Library is open from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. both days.
The exhibition was created in 2015 to encourage the arts in Yuma. For the display, area poets will write poems based off of the artwork by local artists.
For an overview of the event and to view past entries, go to yumalibrary.org/foothillsartandpoetryexhibition/
For more information on Holliday and her work, visit gailholliday.com.