Little Rock’s Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center is home to a unique local treasure: Art Group Gallery. Founded and operated by area artists, it is a true working gallery where area artists have a studio to paint and can display their works to sell in the front of the shop. Follow along as we feature different artists each month who will each share the inspiration and stories behind a few of his or her pieces.
At Home: You work with several different subjects and palettes. Tell us about some of the inspiration behind your pieces.
Holly Tilley: If you’re an artist, inspiration can come from lots of sources—many associated with lots of hard work, study, experimentation, and failures. For example, the inspiration for “French Milkmaid” started in Paris. I studied a master work from the Musee d’Orsay that Alfred Roll created in 1887. She so captivated me that when I returned home I staged my own version of this piece, thanks to model Rebekah Wallace.
AH: What about your outdoor scenes?
HT: Lake Ouachita is a constant source of rejuvenation in my life; it has been since traveling there on vacation from Texas as a child. The piece “Day is Done” is an oil on a gesso panel. There’s nothing like the fog hanging in the mountains welcoming you back to the dock.
HT: “On the Bayou” is a complex landscape that provided lots of problem solving. I really wanted to capture the growth on the surface of the water and the light playing through the cypress trees. This piece (a 30×40 oil on canvas) speaks to another facet of how beautiful our state is.
AH: Do you have any favorite subjects or pieces in particular you’d like to tell us about?
HT: “Four” (20×20 oil on canvas) is a favorite of mine and definitely one that people would say is “in my lane.” I have painted hundreds of cows, usually in unexpected colors—morning sun and shadows gave me the drama I was looking for here. I love the title, too. There are three cows but this one has the “4” tag.
Learn more about Holly and how you can shop Art Group Gallery at artgrouparkansas.com.
