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About the Artist

Holly Archer is a Canadian artist from the shores of Georgian Bay, working primarily in acrylic, ink, and charcoal. Negative space, unfinished moments, and the weight of what is not explicitly depicted play an important role in her work. In many of her pieces, humour and spontaneity are used as tools to uncover an optimistic tone amid more nuanced themes, including environmental conservation, equity, mental health, and women’s rights. She is known for her dynamic mark-making and her focus on life in the Canadian wild.
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In addition to her studio practice, Archer is an emerging presence in the public art realm, bringing her distinctive approach to form and scale into shared spaces. She is committed to using public art to reconnect communities and strengthen our relationship with the natural environment. Her work often incorporates striking scale, contrasting textures, and interactive elements designed to challenge viewers and encourage reflection on their individual role in society.
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Archer’s solo exhibition, A Cultured Diet, launched in early 2024 at Quest Art School and Gallery. She was a finalist for the Clerkson Award in 2023 and participated in an exhibition at the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts. Her work was awarded second place for works on paper at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and exhibited there in the winter and spring of 2023. She was selected for the Blue Mountain Foundation of the Arts Juried Art Show in 2022, where she unveiled the co-designed exhibition For the Love of Trees. Additional highlights include receiving a 2021 Juror’s Award at the Newmarket International Juried Art Show, being featured in the San Diego Museum of Art’s International Juried Winter Exhibition, unveiling her first large-scale public art installation, completing an artist residency at Wye Marsh Wildlife Reserve, and being selected for the 27th Annual Juried Art Exhibition at the Hopkins Center for the Arts in Minnesota, USA.

How it started...

 

I remember standing in my grandparents’ house, staring up at one of my grandfather’s oil paintings—a log cabin in Labrador City, Newfoundland. As I looked at the texture of the paint, I thought, When I grow up, I will paint as much as I want. I will paint all the time.

I grew up. And I paint all the time.

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Painting started it all. One of my first jobs was at a toy store that offered art classes in the back. It felt like magic. I apprenticed with the owner when I was 13 and went on to instruct classes well into university. Since then, I have continued to teach art to both adults and children.

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Art education has always been a priority. I teach, and I take dozens of courses and workshops each year, learning from as many artists as I can. I attribute much of the success in my own career to the invaluable lessons shared by those artists—beginning with my grandfather and my dad.

Thanks to this early introduction to painting, and to art more broadly, I enjoy a life rooted in creative practice. Drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpting, and creating art in public spaces continue to shape my work and my identity as an artist.

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I have been fortunate to exhibit internationally, create large-scale public artworks, be featured in publications, and teach other artists. Still, my greatest joy has been creating—and sharing a lifelong love of art with my family.

 

Looking ahead, my intention is simple: to keep painting all the time.

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- Holly Archer

Education 

  • Art and Design Certificate, 2021-, Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

  • Master of Arts (MA), 2012, School of Public Policy and Management, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

  • Bachelor of Arts (BAH), 2008, English Literature, and Theatre, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 

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Professional Development and Workshops 

  • Contemporary Interiors: Breaking All the Rules with Debra Krakow, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2023

  • Mentorship, Andrew Sookrah, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2022

  • Expressive Figure Drawing, Zin Lim, Seoul, South Korea, 2021

  • Strictly Portraits (1, 2 and 3), Stephanie Schrim, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Illustration (Intermediate), Willow Dawson, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Illustration, Willow Dawson, OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Figurative Drawing, Jill Price, MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Sketching in Watercolours, John Hartman, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Abstracting the Landscape: Palette Knife, Andrew Sookrah, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Impressions, Jacintha Krish, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Creating Line and Form, Andrew Sookrah, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2021

  • Floral Landscapes, John Anderson, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2020

  • Painting, Marlene Bulas, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2020

  • Plein Air, Ross Skoggard, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2020

  • The Real Colours of Winter, John Anderson, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2020

  • Still Life, John Anderson, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2019

  • Painting Portraits, Murray VanHalem, Private Instruction, Victoria Harbour, Ontario, Canada, 2019 

  • Oil Painting, Jen Lawton, Private Instruction, Tay, Ontario, Canada, 2018 

  • Urban Landscapes, Murray Van Halem, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2018

  • Portraiture, Ross Skoggard, Private Instruction, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2018 

  • Sculpture, Haliburton School of Art and Design Summer Program, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, 2018

  • Colour Clinic, Kal Honey, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2017

  • Painting Thick and Thin, Kim Lee Kho, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada, 2017

  • Mixed Media, Sharon McKinnon, Quest Art School and Gallery, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada,  2016

  • Figure Drawing, Haliburton School of Art and Design Summer Program, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, 2012 

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Awards and Distinctions    

  • Published Feature Artist, “Artist, Mother, Proud & Serious | VOL I”, book written by Mona Lerch, published by Women United ART MOVEMENT https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CPJJ8ZLC , International (2023) 

  • Clerkson Award Finalist, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • 2nd Place Winner, McMichael Plein Air Competition, Works on Paper, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Klienburg, Ontario, Canada (2023)                    

  • Feature Artist, Create Your Own Show feature, Create Magazine, International (2022)

  • Winning artist team for the Midland Public Art Project, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2021)

  • Award, Newmarket International Juried Art Exhibition, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • Feature Artist, San Diego Museum of Art International Juried Art Show, San Diego, CA, USA (2020)

  • Art Slam Finalist, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2019)

  • Ambassador, 1 of 40 selected in North America for the North American International Leadership Program, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (2011)

  • Jury Award for Best in Sculpture, Exposure Art Festival, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (2008)

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Exhibitions

  • “A Cultured Diet” (solo show), Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2024)

  • “Art Slam”, Quest Art, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • "Abstracts", John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • “Clerkson Award Finalists Exhibition”, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • “2022 McMichael Plein Air Competition Exhibition”, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Klienburg, Ontario, Canada (2022-23)

  • "Quest Art at Home", Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2022)

  •  "For the Love of Trees" (Duo Exhibition), Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada (2022)

  • “International Winter Exhibition (Juried)”, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA, USA (2021)

  • “TD Thor Wealth Management Juried Exhibition: Quest for the Environment” Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • “2020 Newmarket International Juried Art Show”, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada (Award Winner) (2020)

  • “Pop-Up Art Show”, Independent Outdoor Exhibition (3 Feature Female Artists), Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • “Artists in the time of Coronavirus: A Virtual Exhibition” The Art Blog, International (2020)

  • “We’ve Got the Silver”, Quest Art - Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • “Art Slam”, Quest Art - Midland, Ontario, Canada (Finalist) (2019)

  • “Tangled Up in Blue”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2019)

  • “Quest Art at Home”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2019)

  • “Art Slam”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2018)

  • “Plates and Palettes” Private Exhibition and Mental Health Fundraiser, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2018)

  • “Quest Art at Home”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2018)

  • “Coast to Coast”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2018)

  • “Art Slam”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2017)

  • “Simcoe Sightings”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2017)

  • “Quest Art at Home”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2017)

  • “New Year, New Work”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2017)

  • “Road to Home”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2016)    

  • “Quest Art at Home”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2016)

  • “Piece of Mind”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2016)

  • “Art Slam”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2016)

  • “Places and Spaces”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2016)

  • “Tiny Treasures”, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2015)

  • “Exposure Art Festival”, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (2009)

  • “Exposure Art Festival”, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (2008)

 

Public Art

  • BIA Mural Project, 5 murals commissioned for businesses in Midland, Ontario (2025)

  • "Women", graphite, charcoal and latex on plaster, Dillon's Coffeehouse, Midland Ontario (2025) 

  • Alleyway Rejuvenation Project, 2 aluminum panel installations on scaffolding, Town of Midland, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2022)

  • "Sown", King Street Rejuvenation Project, Public Art Piece, Town of Midland, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2021)

  • Community Art Project, Aluminum panels, Town of Midland, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • Collective Art Project, Mural, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (2013)

  • Outdoor Art, Public Art Installation, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (2008)

 

Teaching and Instruction

  • Drawing and Painting Master Class, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2026)

  • Expressive Drawing, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2024)

  • Communications, Canadore College, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • How to Teach Art Workshops Online, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • The Art of Colour, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2023)

  • Drawing with Charcoal, Private Instruction, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2022) 

  • The Versatility of Acrylic Paint, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2022)

  • Exploring Acrylics: A Study of Light, Colour and Edges, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2021)

  • Intro to Painting, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2021)

  • Humour in Art, Quest Art School and Gallery, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2021)

  • Abstracting Landscapes, Private Workshop, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • Intermediate Painting, Private Workshop, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • Big Marks, Private Workshop, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2020)

  • Child and Youth Workshops (varied topics), Minds Alive, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2000-2006)

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Collections 

  • Private Collections: Muskoka, Ontario, Canada

  • House Artist, Dillon’s, Midland, Ontario, Canada (2017-Present)

  • Private Collections: Madrid, Spain 

  • Private Collections: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  • Private Collections: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

  • House Artist, Tiny Art Shack, Elmvale, Ontario, Canada (2019-2021)

  • Private Collections: New Jersey, USA

  • Private Collections: Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

  • Private Collections: San Diego, CA, USA

  • Private Collections: Berlin, Germany

  • Private Collections: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

  • Private Collections: Rossland, British Columbia, Canada 

  • Private Collections: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 

  • Private Collections: Guelph, Ontario, Canada 

  • Private Collections: Tiny, Ontario, Canada 

  • Private Collection: San Francisco, California, USA

  • Private Collections: Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada 

  • Private Collections: Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

  • Private Collection: Austin, Texas, USA

  • Private Collections: Midland, Ontario, Canada

CV

©2021 by Holly Archer

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