Holli Kerr's Page

Location:

Oklahoma City

About Me:

Obviously, I'm a bit long-winded...

I'm a mixed-media artist who dabbles in a bit of this, a bit of that. All of it comes together for stagecraft, and that's good, since I do photography and movies (crew).

My specialty is photography; I spent several years as a pro advertising-style photographer before getting burned out from chasing paychecks. In college I worked for our paper as a reporter and photographer. I grew up in my dad's ad agency, cheap talent, doing everything from acting and singing to layout and filing. On the other hand, my grandma was a home-ec teacher, and my mom is supercrafty, so I also learned to sew and make Stuff. Mom kept us busy with crafts and between that and Childcraft books I picked up a whole lot of skills and had no fear of trying anything I wanted to explore. We didn't have a lot of money, so we had to learn things from library books and be thrifty in our material-gathering, but I think that was for the better.

I accidentally got placed in drama in 8th grade and ended up lettering in it, trying out as many different hats (as it were) as I could. While I guess I'd do all right if I wanted to pursue acting, I really prefer the behind-the-scenes stuff that helps the actors make the magic. I like making props and I really like doing makeup. In an ideal Oklahoma, I would be an imagineer or run a special effects house for indie film. I'd be Jamie and Adam, or Rob Bottin, or maybe Me in 15 years (we'll see how that turns out).

But remember I said I had a bad case of burnout? In 2003 I decided to try something different for a while. First, an evil friend gave me a book on soapmaking for my birthday and I was immediately hooked. Also, I had worked at a friend's new age shop (Explore) to help her out after 9/11. Due to a number of things (not me!) she ended up closing the store, and I missed not having a cool new age shop to buy incense and sparkly bling in the City, so since nobody else had opened one in her absence I decided I would do it. Crafty urges kick in and before long I am making about 65% of my inventory. I find I have quite a knack for making this new age kind of stuff. Compound this with a latent desire to be a gemologist (I adore minerals, especially the shiny ones with sparkly fire inside) and the timely appearance of a rock dealer (who is now one of my best friends) and I suddenly have access to all kinds of cutting rough. Whoot!

I make just enough at the store to pay for it plus more advanced tools, including a digital video camera. However, I begin to sorely miss photography, and when the economy turned sour again in 2005 I closed my shop and began exploring the world of videography and Oklahoma Indie flick making.

I had been working on the Film & Video Committee at the IAO Gallery here in OKC for over a year. The Chair became seriously ill and asked me if I would consider taking his place. After getting over the initial freak out, and having unanimous backing from the rest of the committee (they swear they'll help me though) I accepted and officially became the Chair in May of this year. I hope to continue his awesome work and look forward to many more networking opportunities. Visit the gallery at www.iaogallery.org.

I'm also on the 2008 TrickConTreat staff, it's a Con(vention) that focuses on Halloween and monsters and zombies and crafty halloween props and all sorts of fun. Check us out at www.trickcontreat.com

However, I still have this junkie-like Need to make Stuff (and sell it, I don't want all this stuff in my house!) I am torn between my two lives as a crafter and as a proper artist. So I lurk in the dark shadows of etsy and my yahoo store, to feed that urge (since it's not going away). I had tried the OSU/OKC farmer's market, but it's not really the right audience for my type of art.

Gender:

Gal

I am a/an:

Independent Artist/Designer

(Designers only) I create:

Um. Is "New Age Stuff" a good enough label? Soap, soy candles, herbal incense, jewellery, hair clips, mojo supplies (powders, dolls, bags), treasure boxes (collage on a pre-made wood box), spirit boards, smudge bundles, pendulums, origami, runes. Things like that. Maybe that should be "new age with a dark twist"...

Lapidary: cabochons (I make) and wire-wrapped stones. Hand-gathered rose rocks.

And then the other side of me: props, sets, special effects, special effects makeup, straight makeup, product photography, glamour photography (no weddings), commercial photography (no architectural), special effects photography, journalism.

Basically keep me busy and I will stay out of trouble.

(Designers only) I am willing to do:

Custom orders, Consignment, Wholesaling

(Designers only) I have been featured on:

www.Oklahoma-Oracles.com (Oklahoma Oracle Cooperative -- administrator).

The most recent production I worked on was "Broken Brotherhood".

I teach occasional stagecraft workshops at IAO Gallery.

(Designers only) My work is sold at:

online at www.lefthandedgoth.etsy.com and www.oklahoma-oracles.com. Sometimes do craft shows/medieval fair and psychic fairs. I have had my jewellery at the Sam Noble Museum gift shop, but I need to visit them again.

Website:

http://lefthandedgoth.etsy.com

Website #2:

http://www.oklahoma-oracles.com

Website #3:

http://www.trickcontreat.com

Favorite Designers/Artists:

Van Gogh, Picasso, Mondrian, Andrea Mistretta, Alain Viesca

Favorite Music/Musicians:

dance music (d'n'b, jungle), Depeche Mode, INXS, egyptian pop (Hakim), belly dance. Stuff with a good rhythm. Dislike rap but that's probably because of the constant rudeness of other drivers forcing it on me. Country is tolerable and sometimes voluntarily enjoyed. Old-fashioned rock & roll (Janis, Joan Jett, James Taylor, Eagles, Steve Miller). Hate to say it but Madonna's on my list, more because I admire her gutsyness and determination than because of any musical integrity, but her stuff is just light fun so what the hell.

Favorite TV Show & Movies:

Mythbusters, Dirty Jobs, MacGuyver, The A-Team, Local on the 8's (yes, the weather is very important in my life). The Matrix series (#1 was best) and all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Heist movies of all sorts (Ocean's 11, 12, 13; The Italian Job '03). Sappy fondness for Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Irons. Will watch anything with Johnnie Depp, Brad Pitt, Brendan Frasier, Ian McKellan, Jodie Foster, Harrison Ford, Robert Redford, and Clint Eastwood, even if it sucks, because they are great actors. The Thing (Carpenter) because of the awesome f/x work. Kung fu movies and pre-Disney Jackie Chan movies. Sonny Chiba Street Fighter, Quentin Tarantino (love-and-hate there). Robert Rodriguez's Mariachi movies. Not too many women in films that I like, but I think that's largely because they are too frequently chosen for their looks rather than their talent. Martha Stewart is a Goddess.