Holly A. Senn


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Holly A. Senn | senn@ryksenn.com | www.ryksenn.com

Bio

Holly A. Senn is known for her botanically inspired sculptures and installations created from discarded library books. In these labor-intensive works she explores the life cycle of ideas—how ideas are generated, dispersed, referenced or forgotten. Senn has exhibited in venues including the Brooklyn Public Library in New York, 23 Sandy Gallery in Portland, Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle, and spaces in Tacoma including Spaceworks Tacoma, Tacoma Contemporary’s Woolworth Windows, Fulcrum Gallery, Kittredge Gallery, and Collins Memorial Library. Awards include the Grant for Artists Projects (GAP) from Artist Trust and a Tacoma Artists Initiative Program (TAIP) grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission. Born in California, Senn graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (M.L.I.S) and Mills College (B.A.). She works as a librarian at Pacific Lutheran University. Since 2001 she has lived and worked in Tacoma, Washington.

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Resume

SOLO EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS
2011
“Link,” Tollefson Plaza, Tacoma, WA – collaboration with Janet Marcavage & Bret Lyon
“Composites,” Spaceworks Tacoma, Tacoma, WA

2010
“Re-Present,” Spaceworks Tacoma, Tacoma, WA
“Cover,” Doppler PDX, Portland, OR

2009
“Tale,” 23 Sandy Gallery, Portland, OR
“Windows on Nature and Knowledge,” Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY
“Dispersed,” University Gallery, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA – collaboration with Kyle Dillehay

2008
“(un)written,” Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

2007
“Textural,” Belltown Gallery, Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle, WA

2006
“Enchanted Forest of the Mind,” The Gallery, Tacoma Community College, Tacoma, WA
“Volumes Reconfigured,” Art on Center Gallery, Tacoma, WA

2005
“Lost Libraries, Lost Memory,” Mortvedt Library, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
“Forbidden,” Tacoma Contemporary, F.W. Woolworth Building, Tacoma, WA


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011
“Urban Forest Project Tacoma,” Tacoma, WA

2010
“The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Art Award, 2008-2010,” Kittredge Gallery, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
“Here & Now: A Show of Generations,” Fulcrum Gallery, Tacoma, WA

2008
“Hybrid,” 19th Annual Juried Exhibition, Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle, WA – Riko Nakasone, juror

2007
“Square Foot 2007,” AWOL Gallery, Toronto, Canada
“Envirohouse Inaugural Exhibit,” City of Tacoma EnviroHouse, Tacoma, WA
“Hot of the Press! Prints and Other Text,” Sea-Tac International Airport, WA

2005
“The Bookmark Project 2005: Outpost,” Koffler Gallery, Toronto, Canada
“Art & Literature,” The Gallery, Tacoma Community College, WA

2004
“Carry-On,” Tacoma Contemporary, Sea-Tac International Airport, WA

2002
“South Sounds 2002,” Commencement Art Gallery, Tacoma, WA


GRANTS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2011
Public Art: In Depth (PA:ID) Program, City of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA

2008
Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Grant, Artist Trust, Seattle, WA

2007
EDGE Professional Program for Visual Artists, Artist Trust, Seattle, WA
Tacoma Artists Initiative Program (TAIP) Grant, Tacoma Arts Commission, Tacoma, WA


COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
2011
City of Tacoma. Panelist: Art at Work Month Arts Symposium. November 20, 2011
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 5-6, 2011
Artist Trust. Presenter: Donor Dinner. October 29, 2011
Pacific Lutheran University. Presenter: Art 299 Sophomore Keystone. October 4, 2011
City of Tacoma Artscapes. Juror. June 3, 2011
Pacific Lutheran University. Presenter: Art 499 Senior Capstone. March 10, 2011

2010
Artist Trust/Traver Gallery. Panelist: “Sustaining Your Art on Your Terms.” November 18, 2010
Pacific Lutheran University Juried Student Art Exhibition. Juror. November 12, 2010
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 5-6, 2010
Artist Trust. Presenter: “I am an Artist” Program. May 9, 2010
Urban Grace/City of Tacoma Poet Laureate Competition. Juror. April 17, 2010
University of Puget Sound. Presenter: Art 201 Visual Concepts. April 5, 2010
Pacific Lutheran University. Presenter: Art 499 Senior Capstone. March 4, 2010
University of Washington iSchool. Artist Talk. January 29, 2010

2009
Downing Elementary School PTA Reflections Program Cultural Arts Competition. Juror. December 2, 2009
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 7-8, 2009
23 Sandy Gallery. Artist Talk. September 26, 2009
Tacoma Arts Commission’s Tacoma Artists Initiative Program (TAIP) Grants. Juror. March 9, 2009
Annie Wright School. Artist Talk. January 22, 2009

2008
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 8-9, 2008
University of Puget Sound. Artist Talk. October 9, 2008
Proctor District Summer Arts Festival Juried Art Show. Juror. August 2008

2007
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 11, 2007
Cityline, TV Tacoma (Channel 12). Panelist: “Art at Work Month” hosted by Carol Mitchell. October 25, 2007

2006
Tacoma Community College. Panelist: “How Precious are Books in the 21st Century?” December 7, 2006
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours, Studio Artist. November 12, 2006
4th International Conference on the Book, Boston, MA. Presenter: “Volumes Reconfigured: Sculptural Investigation
into the Life Cycle of Ideas/Books.” October 22, 2006
Pacific Lutheran University Librarians Symposium. Presenter: “Lifecycle of Ideas/Books: Repository to Recomposition.” May 15, 2006

2005
Pacific Lutheran University. Co-Curator with Jp Avila: “Reading Room: Jackets Required.” December 12, 2005
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours, Studio Artist. November 19, 2005.
Proctor District Summer Arts Festival Juried Art Show. Juror. August 2005

2004
City of Tacoma Art at Work Studio Tours. Studio Artist. November 14, 2004


PUBLICATIONS & VIDEOS
2011
“Link.” http://youtu.be/ICJprwSx990
“Composites.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cK66Yofr4Q

2010
“Curriculum Guide: Glimmering Gone Exhibition.”  Tacoma, WA: Museum of Glass. Co-authored with Amy Ryken.
http://www.museumofglass.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Glimmering-Gone-with-visuals.pdf
“Re-Present.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3NXxuDvWvw
“Cover.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwXw3CnOJgY

2009
“Tale.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xulN2XrkV4w
“Windows on Nature and Knowledge.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm3zgoSocOY
“Dispersed.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThHcRMnrNEo

2008
“(un)written.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw7qZFgeDeI
“W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory Centennial Drawings.”  www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_oXNCiDacg

2007
“Textural.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqX5Bdp-Upk

2005
“Artist/Librarian Exposes ‘Lost Libraries, Lost Memory.’” Association of College & Research Libraries Washington Newsletter, p. 57
“W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory Sculpture Tour.” Co-authored with Amy Ryken. www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=562


REVIEWS & RECOGNITION
2011
Weekly Volcano. Kendle, Kristin. "Holly Senn for the Win: How Rescued Library Books Become Art". December 15, p. 15.
Tacoma Arts Blog. "Walking the Walk on the Prairie Line Trail." November 13, 2011
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. “Peer into Magical Windows.” April 22, 2011. p. Go 8-9
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Composites on Broadway: Holly Senn's Latest Installation." March 24, 2011, p. 13
Tacoma Weekly. Davison, Dave. “’Composites’ at Woolworth.” March 16, 2011, p. C2
Spaceworks Tacoma Blog. Kinoshita, Lisa. “Paper Garden.” March 12, 2011

2010
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. "Elegance, Irony, Honesty: Tacoma Spaceworks Project Fills Empty Downtown Windows." November 19, 2010. p. Go 8
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Spaceworks Tacoma: Re-presenting Barbara De Pirro and Holly Senn." October 14, 2010, p. 17
Spaceworks Tacoma Blog. Kinoshita, Lisa. "Holly Senn on Broadway." October 7, 2010
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. "Kittredge Gallery Hosts Best of Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Award." September 1, 2010. p. Go 9
Spaceworks Tacoma Blog. Kinoshita, Lisa. "A Rapture of Words." September 1, 2010
Tacoma Weekly. Davison, Dave. "More Than Two Dozen of Tacoma's Finest Artists Show Their Work at Kittredge." August 26, 2010, p. C4
Tacoma Weekly. Davison, Dave. "Fulcrum Gallery Provides Snapshot in Time of Tacoma's Multi-Layered Art World." July 29, 2010, p. C4
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. "Tacoma Art Galleries Bursting with Creativity." July 23, 2010
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "'Here and Now': Generations of Art at Fulcrum." July 21, 2010
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Ten to Watch: A List of Up and Coming South Sound Artists." February 17, 2010

2009
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Hot Damn! It's Art at Work Month in Tacoma." October 29, 2009, p. 16
City Arts Magazine. Bunker, Virginia. "Channel Surfing: Television Can Be Creative Too." October 2009, p. 11
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Best of Tacoma 2009." July 30, 2009, p. 8-9
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Foundation of Art Award." July 9, 2009

2008
American Libraries. "From Book to Art." Vol. 31, no. 11, December 2008, p. 24
City Arts Magazine. Strom-Avila, Naomi. "The Curator's Eye: Holly Senn." November 2008, p. 38
As if Art Matters. Clayton, Alec. "Holly Senn: Narrative Redux." 2008, p. 104-106

2007
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. "Art from Artful Recycling." June 17, 2007, p. E 1

2006
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Meaning of Life." December 21, 2006, p. 2
Tacoma News Tribune. Ponnekanti, Rosemary. "Artist's 'Life Cycle' Not Fully Fleshed Out." December 18, 2006, p. D 1
Tacoma Weekly. Schrecengost, Shannon. "'Enchanted Forest' Gives Ideas Life." December 7, 2006, p. 3
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Senn of Art." May 25, 2006, p. 2
Tacoma Weekly. Larson, John. "Sculptor Explores Life Cycle of Books and Ideas." May 11, 2006, p. C1

2005
The Bookmark Project 2005: Outpost. Kyrski, Diana. "Curatorial Statement." November 6, 2005, p. 2
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "Clone Her!" May 19, 2005, p. 2

2004
Weekly Volcano. Clayton, Alec. "All Around Art: Take a Tour Where Art Lives." November 11, 2004, p. 1


EDUCATION
1992
M.L.I.S.  University of California, Berkeley, CA

1985
B.A.  Mills College, Oakland, CA


RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
2002-present
Visiting Assistant Professor/Virtual Reference Services Librarian, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA

1992-2002
Librarian, MRW & Associates, Oakland, CA
Librarian, The GAP, Inc., San Bruno, CA



 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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