Meet Aaron Hollingsworth | Visual Artist & Designer

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

Hi Aaron, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I was 10 my parents put me in my first painting class. That’s when it really began for me. Till that point I had been drawing cartoons on the back of offering envelopes during the church services with my friend. I greatly appreciate that my parents saw I was interested and passionate about something and were willing to foster it.

I have been painting, drawing, sculpting and designing something since those early classes, so when I’ve thought through the years of what career path I want to choose, its been an obvious choice to do something creative in someway. Creativity and art making have shaped me and driven my thinking in many areas, and I hope to give others the same opportunity to utilize art as a way to learn and grow.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In 2014 I graduated with a BFA in Drawing & Painting and I will be returning to get my Masters in Fine Arts this coming Fall. When I was a kid I wanted to be an architect, because other than cartoon characters and animals, I really enjoyed drawing houses. In high school I grew in my Christian faith, and as a result people became a major subject area in my life, not so much to draw but to pursue relationships with. That began my interest in trying to find a way to combine art making and caring for others, as that is a big part of my spirituality.

In my first year of college before I had declared a major, I took a drawing class and experienced an artist critique for the first time. In a critique all artists display their work and you spend time discussing it and giving feedback. This is a very honest and often vulnerable experience. Most artists create around something very personal to them. The conversations that came out of those critiques were humbling, challenging, exciting, and refreshing. It was then that I realized this could be a way to relate with others through art, and ever since this moment, the idea of being an instructor of art is something I’ve been interested in doing some day. However, over the years I have found many ways to combine creativity and caring for others: I’ve worked with people in childcare, being a pre-school teacher, for several years worked in college ministry, and currently have a small Interior Design business, Hollingsworth & Co., with my wife, Tate. We love getting to help others turn their spaces and events into inspiring and life-giving environments. But that critique is when the passion to combine people and art was sparked for me.

My theology on art making, so to speak, is still developing and always will be. I want to be an artist, and I want to be an artist that creatively serves and impacts others. I think our human nature is to be creative and to create in some capacity. Creating is healthy, and I think makes us more relatable. In my work I’m intrigued by how circumstances ultimately begin to build the person we are and affect those around us. A person’s life experiences can shape their outlook on life and direction they go. How much can we control how our experiences define us? What does taking control of an unfortunate or favorable experience entail? These are questions I explore through my work. People, personalities, and oddities drive the aesthetics of my art. Like a person, I see each piece I create with an intent, story, and purpose.

The pandemic and COVID is now a major life circumstance that we can all relate to in some way. I do think artists have an opportunity to speak into this time in a different way than others. This past year has brought about so many changes and uncertainty for us and we want some answers, clarity, and stability. I don’t think art will directly provide this but art can lead us to ask better questions and facilitate good conversations. Art can be like a parable or a fable — there is a message or moral behind it but you will need to ask questions to understand what it is.

I work two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally at varying scales. Intricate forms are grown together through found and purchased materials, alongside traditional painting and drawing media. Materials are often lacking or minimal in color, yet create a new palette through their existence together. The found materials are nothing noteworthy or lavish, but together strive to be something unique or qualified. In a simple but unconventional way, I find a humanness to each piece, capturing something that makes you want to meet them, relate with them, or learn more.

Through the use of wire, sewing, and gluing the sculptural personalities hold loosely together. Cloth is often stretched, glued, or stitched over a wire form and other materials are attached. From these forms, I am inspired to paint, draw, and sketch these forms to capture them in their best light. The materials and construction of my work seem temporary; perhaps lacking something. Through these humbling elements, a language of meekness intertwined with pride evoke emotions of seriousness, humor, and intrigue. Looking forward, I hope to widen the understanding of how color displays personality and emotion. Working three-dimensionally and at a larger scale is something I plan to explore more, as well as learning how to engage more people in my art-making process, through collaborations or other forms.

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.
One of my favorite places in Dallas is the Nasher Sculptor garden. It combines all of my favorites things, fine art, horticulture and architecture. The museums outdoor garden is a green oasis in the midst of the Dallas skyline and filled with iterative and engaging sculptures. After you visit the Nasher you can walk over to a food truck and grab a bite at Klyde Warren park. If you are ok with driving a little, one of my favorite places in the DFW area is the Little Chapel in the Woods in Denton at Texas Woman’s University. The chapel was designed by famous architect O’Neil Ford in 1939 and students assisted in making the fixtures, tiles, pews and stained glass. Its an artwork worth seeing!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As a creative I’ve been supported and groomed by so many people. Some artists themselves and others not. I’m grateful to my parents for giving me space to create and fostering my creative desires. I grew up in a church that painted together and am now a part of a church that loves artists and wants to support them. To the leadership of these churches, I am grateful that they see the gifts of the community and provide room for each to be represented. My wife who is also an artist, is my sounding board for creative thought and feedback.

Website: https://www.hollingsworth-co.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronblakehollingsworth/

Other: Hollingsworth & Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollingsworth_co/