Meet HOLLY NORDECK | Visual Artist and Museum Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with HOLLY NORDECK and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi HOLLY, why did you pursue a creative career?
I don’t think there really was another option to do anything else honestly, I’ve always been a creative person and I think pursuing an artistic and creative career just made the most sense to me. When I was in college, I tried various degrees that seemed logical or would put me in a finically secure career, but it didn’t feel right. Art is a language, and being an artist gives me the chance to communicate to others what I am thinking, feeling, and experiencing in the moment, that I am unable to do in any other way. Additionally working in a creative field, allows me to collaborate and work with other local creatives, which gives me a sense of community and purpose.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am multimedia artist who is currently interested in working in fiber, photography, and drawing. Right now I’ve been interested in exploring themes of waste, consumption, and taxidermy. Although, in the total opposite sense, the pandemic has almost forced me to retreat to a softer side of myself, as a means of protection, so I’ve also been working on a series of dolls that explore themes of joy, childhood, and comfort. I am still on the journey to get where I want to be in my art career, but in regards to where I am at right now, I worked hard at fostering connections and meeting creative people in my community. I don’t think pursuing a career in the arts is always easy, it takes a lot of grit, patience and rejection. The pandemic has brought light to the challenge of balancing work, mental health, and my art practice. I actually took a break from creating all together last year, but a year of stillness and self-reflection has energized me to find a new studio space and get back to my practice.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Lets pretend that its post-Covid so its a safe! I love breakfast so I’d first take them to Rupert’s Edge, in Edgewater, they have excellent eggs benedict and there is a great view of the city right alongside Sloan’s Lake. I am a huge museum nerd, so we would have to check out The MCA, The Denver Art Museum, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. If we got lucky and it was the first Friday of the month, I would take them out to some First Friday events to look at some art in the Santa Fe and RiNo district. One of my absolute favorite things about Colorado is its dynamic craft beer scene, so we have would have to bring along my dog Bruce and hangout at a brewery. Some of my favorite breweries in the Denver area are WestFax, Our Mutual Friend, Black Sky, and Alpine Dog. Lastly, for more of a night life experience we would go check out 1Up Arcade off Colfax to get drinks, play pinball, and explore all the arcade games they have.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give some credit to my partner Colin, he is supportive, kind, a great cook, and always gives honest feedback and critiques on my artwork.

Website: https://www.holly-nordeck.com/

Instagram: holllyeho