Prairies & Acrylics

Still a farm kid at heart, nature continues to inspire a growing body of work

- Holly Dyrland

Sometimes the path to a dream weaves and winds a bit more than we’d like! Always the journey is a rather large part of the story though, and my winding road is no exception. Growing up an Alberta farm kid, I had the privilege of taking part in everything from daily chores with the cows, Sunday afternoon drives to check the fields, planting and growing a garden (or at least running through the corn stalks and picking potato beetles), and spending a lot of time outdoors. Life was not rushed anymore than the seasons dictated, and I relished this! It felt integral to who I was, and with each passing season, I felt more alive.

We shared the farm site with my grandparents and I got to see my grandmother capture local scenery in oils. She painted, and I had a knack for sketching. From around the age of 12, I knew I wanted to be an artist. Of course, the “process of becoming” can be a long one, and for me it was. After I graduated high school, I spent two years at Bible school in Camrose, Alta., where I also plugged into the local art group to take a class or two. My instructor at that time strongly encouraged me to study art in college, which actually terrified me, as I didn’t understand how I would be able to make a living as an artist. Instead, I packed my things and made a move to Calgary—not a long distance away, but completely removed from the Prairies I had grown up in and loved.