Meet Holly Rios | Artist and Educator

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

Hi Holly, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
As an artist, I think it’s really hard to make time to be creative and have a full life while also working full-time in another capacity. I know so many people who do it, and do it REALLY well. I admire them so much, but personally struggle with the balance. So while I still teach primarily, I opted to push my art as a priority. The balance is always shifting though. There are seasons that are extremely productive, and others where I have to rest every chance I get. I’m currently coming out of a very busy, very productive season and the down-shift has been tough. Over time, I’ve been able to feel more settled in that ebb and flow though. I try to think about the rest as a necessity, rather than a luxury. Because what is any of the hard work really for if I can’t take time to enjoy my life too?

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a printmaker, and my areas of specialty are intaglio (copper plate etching) and screen printing. In my work, I use a limited color palette and I combine a lot of text and image. I also work a lot with collage and drawing. I’m really interested in a variety of social issues, so my work is usually addressing domesticity, gender construction, and gender inequities, using appropriated imagery from different mainstream media (especially horror and science fiction movies!).
My path as an artist has not been a very tidy one. I got my MFA in Printmaking from the University of Utah and my Bachelors in Printmaking from Western Colorado University (though it was still Western State when I graduated!). I put myself through school so I transferred a few times and dropped out once or twice before I landed in the Western slope. I am particularly motivated by spite – so as far as overcoming the challenges on my path, I’d say that is the primary tool (lol). I’m stubborn, and I’m driven. I have always wanted to be an artist and I think that I accepted early on that without a trust fund, it was going to be a haul. My joking aside though, I like hard work, and I take pride in doing it. That’s been the thing that has pushed me through the tough parts.
There’s a lot of lessons to share, but I think the biggest lesson is the one I’m still learning, and that’s authenticity. Especially in the arts, there’s a lot of pressure to shift gears and become “marketable”, or to latch on to the one thing that people really responded to and keep making work like that. And that’s a battle, because we all have to pay our bills, right? So now I’m in a phase of trying to stick to my own voice, and find a way to be true to my own ideas and style.

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.
Okay, dream day in Denver: We are getting breakfast at Santos Cafe & Mexican Grill – I’m getting the huevos rancheros, and we are sharing a giant concha. We are going to be basic and hit the Denver Art Museum (because you have to). We are going to swing by Art Gym, and see what’s up in their gallery then say hello to the artists that run the space and teach – especially our printmaking friend, Gregory Santos (no relation to the aforementioned restaurant). By now, we must be famished, so we are going to get a late lunch at GB Fish & Chips. At which point, I will be way too full, and decide it’s time to get a new tattoo at Phantom 8. I will definitely brush my teeth because I’m now realizing that eating fish before a tattoo appointment is probably bad form, but this is my dream day. We finish off the day with late dinner and a glass of wine at Colore. Boom, a perfect day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have a lot of people on my path that deserve a shout out! For this blurb though, I want to shout out to Mark Lunning, owner of Open Press. The first time I dropped out of art school, I showed up at his print shop while he was in Denver (I think he’s moved the shop out to Sterling) with a portfolio of prints and drawings and asked if I could do work for him in exchange for shop time. He was so kind to me, and though I’m not sure I was a very good assistant, he gave me the encouragement to get back into school and continue my art practice. So, thank you Mark!

Website: https://hollyemilyrios.com

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