Today we’d like to introduce you to Madison Holler.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
I was raised in a household and family of artists. My mother and father have a rich history of artist relatives; my mother’s side is primarily Dutch and Scandinavian, with woodworkers, painters, stain glass makers, and bead workers. They caned chairs and whittled driftwood, made reed baskets and birchbark stars. My father’s side is Anishinaabe, German, and polish. My grandma and the aunties did bead and leatherwork, quilting and knitting, and the uncles were photographers and painters. I was raised to believe art was a sacred act of the human experience and have fostered and cultivated that belief ever since. I went from an artsy high school student to an aimless college student trying to find a major to get a good job with good medical benefits to assist my chronic illnesses. It was a fruitless endeavor, leading me to take a leap of faith and go to art school at SCSU. Once there, I started doing trunk shows and pop-up events with my beadwork. I also started photographing at this time, leading to 5 full seasons of weddings with my partner, Mike, a Videographer. Now I am a full-time Beadwork artist and part-time photographer.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
I have always found the making and the heart in my work relatively easy. However, external forces in my life have provided some bumps in the road. Some moments felt more fate than others. My health has never been stable or even manageable at times. I have Type 1 Diabetes and a brain condition affecting my eyesight called IIH. (to name a few ailments debilitating me). I have given so many days to the sickroom. It feels like a waste not to live the good days to the fullest; I also was a caregiver to my father, who struggled with addiction and was eventually displaced from his home and succumbed to his illnesses in early 2022. My father was one of my greatest art inspirations. I owe him for instilling in me a passion for art.
Regarding business, I think finances and taxes are not spoken about enough, especially to women, while we are in school. Once school was over and I was self-employed, that information seemed even harder to acquire. I feel passionate about helping my peers and friends who are starting their businesses, getting them set up properly, so they don’t have the troubles I did in the beginning!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a metalsmith and beadwork artist specializing in Jewelry and fine art pieces; I have a fine arts degree with a particular interest in painting, printmaking, photography, and graphic design. All these mediums inform my beadwork practice and facilitate my business today. As a child, I was taught by my elders off loom bead-by-bead style stitches such as peyote, brick, ladder stitch, etc. But as I grew in the craft, I began experimenting with metal components that led to the stitch style I use today. I built a solder studio in my home in 2020 to further my craft and skills.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was an art and animal lover and quite loud and energetic. Things haven’t changed much! I was always willing and eager to learn any arts and crafts!
Pricing:
- $10-1000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rubinskiworks.com
- Instagram: @rubinskiworks
Image Credits
All Images were taken by myself. www.rubinskivisual.com @rubinskivisual
