Loie Hollowell ‘05 (CCS Art) Continues Her Creativity as a Painter
CCS catches up with Loie 5 Years later
Loie Hollowell (CCS Art ’05) was featured five years ago in 2017-2018 as one of 50 stories during the College Creative Studies (CCS) 50th anniversary. Recently, Loie came to the attention of CCS again because of her first Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Series, Contractions, that consists of 280 digital works and a limited number of physical paintings.
CCS reached out to Loie for an update five years after her 50 for 50 story. Originally from Woodland, CA Loie continues her passion as a painter in New York City with canvas creations that mirror bodily forms arranged into abstracted compositions. Currently, Loie has her first solo museum show in the United States, Tick Tock Belly Clock, on view at the Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at the University of California, Davis through May 8, 2023. In addition, Love Letter, an exhibition she co-curated, is open to the public through February 2023 at Pace Gallery in New York.
As CCS learned about her recent art creations and shows, Loie also shared additional insights into her days as CCS and UCSB. “I knew going into college that I wanted to solely focus on art and CCS allowed me to do that,” said Loie. “CCS was very much like my MFA graduate school program at Virginia Commonwealth University that I attended five years after graduating from CCS. CCS also taught me how to be self-disciplined with my art making in those 5 years when I wasn't in school—and stilled my strong work ethic I still follow today.” CCS Art Faculty Dan Connally stands out as a favorite teacher who Loie remembers fondly.
"For CCS students to] really take advantage of the time you have with your work outside of class and to experiment with things that you might not normally do.”
-- Loie Hollowell ‘05 (CCS Art)
When asked for a moment that stood out during Loie’s days at UCSB, she recalls: “I did a performance where I made a huge dress with a big pannier hoop skirt. My friends dressed up in suits that I made—that looked like they were naked—and they walked along with me under my skirt sporadically jumping out from underneath, dancing around, and then getting back under! It was really fun to see the students' reactions when I did that performance on campus.”
The advice Loie gives to CCS students is grounded in the importance of experiential learning at the College: “Really take advantage of the time you have with your work outside of class and to experiment with things that you might not normally do.”
Loie is an example of CCS alumni who continue to focus on their passions and as leaders in their communities. Learn more about Loie’s art.