Holly Cole

As a former costume designer my work focuses on story and character and is most inspired by issues of social justice and endangered species. As a lifelong animal junky, I am most fascinated by human-animal connections and the fragility of nature. In all of my work,  I seek direct emotional connection with the viewer and develop fiber collage sculptures and hand drawn, painted, collaged and quilted whole cloth quilts to that end. I believe that quilting and fiber collage deeply enriches the meaning and emotional connection of my drawings. Funny and Fragile focuses on different aspects of endangered and threatened species. My Vanishing series includes the babies and clowns that are at risk and the heroes who are championing and caring for them. My Veterans series up-cycles war and work surplus fabrics to express both the grit and vulnerability of endangered species. My new Fragility series features the use of delicate and sheer fabrics to create a palpable sense of these animals sometimes slowly, and sometimes quickly, disappearing.

Holly Cole is a full-time textile studio artist in Triangle, Virginia who considers herself addicted to making art. After a long career as a costume designer and/or artisan for Broadway,regional, and educational theaters (including heading the costume programs at Ohio University 1987-2012) in 2016 she retired to a new life of working as an art quilter and surface designer.  She holds a BA from Northwestern and an MFA from Carnegie-Mellon Universities in Theater Design. Additional Fiber training includes studies at Arrowmont, the J.C. Campbell Folk School,the Crowe Barn, the Quilt Surface Design Symposium, Quilting By The Lake, Pro Chemical and Dye, and Kerr Grabowski’s studio.

Gallery Hours: 12pm-5pm Wednesday-Sunday (Closed Monday and Tuesday)