Cover Artist - Hollie Steil

On Our Cover –The Art of Hollie Steil By Tracy McCoy

When not serving as Mayor of Georgia’s highest and coolest city, cover artist Hollie Steil has a paintbrush in her hand or is exploring some other form of creative expression. Hailing from Florida, Hollie was the daughter of a professional race car driver. Her father, 1HTLZ¸4HJ¹4J+V^LSS^HZ RPSSLK^OPSLKYP]PUN a new race car on a track in Florida. Eventually, Hollie’s mother remarried and the family moved to Kentucky.

/VSSPL YLTLTILYZ HS^H`ZSV]PUN HY[ ¸0[OPUR0^HZ IVYU ^P[OHWLUJPSVYJYH`VUPUT`OHUK0^HZHS^H`ZZRL[JOPUN and trying to ‘do art’. The art muses have consistently whispered in my ear to notice and appreciate the beauty [OH[ PZ HYV\UK TL¹ ZOL ZOHYLK ^P[O TL PU H YLJLU[ interview. Hollie earned her Undergraduate Degree from the University of Kentucky. She initially explored an art major, but switched to a degree in education. She met her husband, Ed, while attending college and the couple was THYYPLK[OLSHZ[KH`VMÄUHSZILMVYL NYHK\H[PUNMYVT[OL University of Kentucky.

The couple moved to Atlanta to allow Ed to attend gradu ate school at Emory University, where he received a Divin ity degree. He went on to Georgia State University, earning degrees in Special Education and School Administration. Hollie began teaching school and over the years earned graduate degrees in Leadership and Administration from Georgia State University and the University of West Geor

gia. The Steils both worked as school administrators until re [PYPUNPU

0[ PZ HS^H`Z PU[LYLZ[PUN [V OLHY how people found Rabun *V\U[` ¸0 OHK H KLHY MYPLUK ^OV OHKTV]LK[V :R`=HSSL` While enjoying time with her HUKOLYO\ZIHUK ,K HUK0MLSS in love with the beauty and the people of Rabun County and :R`=HSSL`>LIV\NO[WYVWLY[` PU:R`=HSSL`HUKI\PS[HOVTL there. We spent weekends in the North Georgia Mountains for years before making the move to full time residents in ¹

Hollie went on to say that she and Ed feel very strongly that it is their duty to help their com munity in any way that they

can. Ed has been involved with Rabun County Habitat for Humanity, delivered Meals on Wheels, has helped with the Sid Weber Memorial Cancer Fund, served on the Rabun *V\U[`4\ZPJ -LZ[P]HS IVHYK HUK [OL :R`=HSSL` 7YVWLY[` Owners Association. Ed also served one term on the Sky =HSSL`*P[`*V\UJPS

Sharing her husband’s sense of civic duty, Hollie was also PU]VS]LKPU[OL9HI\U*V\U[`4\ZPJ-LZ[P]HS[OL:R`=HSSL` Garden Club, the North Georgia Arts Guild, she served on the board of the Art League of Highlands and Cashiers and through the years has volunteered to paint the iconic hay IHSLZMVY[OLJP[`VM:R`=HSSL`»ZMHSSJLSLIYH[PVUZ>OPSLILPUN 4H`VYVM:R`=HSSL`^HZ¸UV[VUOLYI\JRL[SPZ[¹/VSSPLZH`Z that she was urged by members of the community to run for [OLVMÄJLHUKHM[LYT\JO[OV\NO[ZOLKLJPKLKPMZOLJV\SK OLSW:R`=HSSL`TV]LMVY^HYKPUHWVZP[P]L^H`ZOL^HZ\W for the challenge.

0UHY[/VSSPLZH`ZZOLOHZILLUPUZWPYLKI`[OL6SK4HZ[LYZ SPRL9LTIYHUK[HUK=PUJLU[]HU.VNOHUKPZ[HRLUI`[OL paintings of Georgia O’Keefe, Andrew Wyeth and a new HY[PZ[ UHTLK*OYPZ[PHU /VVR :OL ÄUKZTHU`SVJHS HY[PZ[Z as moving and mentioned the works of Diane Rush, Rabun Martin and mentor Patty Calderone. While in Undergraduate

The Art of Hollie Steil

School, she took a few art courses and has taken several painting classes through the years. Currently Hollie is Z[\K`PUNHY[H[[OL*HSKLYVUL:[\KPVULHY:R`=HSSL`:OL WHPU[ZPUIV[OVPSZHUKHJY`SPJZI\[HSZVÄUKZZOLSV]LZ charcoal, pen and ink, and watercolors as well.

While administration was her profession, Hollie is always the student, whether it is watching YouTube videos to learn new techniques, or talking with other artists about what they have learned. She devours art publications, ZJV\YPUNV]LY[OLWHNLZ:OLÄUKZWSLHZ\YLPU[OLÄILY arts, wood printing and carving, painting fabrics, painting

murals, mosaics and pottery. There are plans on her bucket list to learn blacksmithing and do more work with metals. Her hobbies outside of art include, photography, visiting art galleries and festivals which all lend themselves to furthering OLY HY[PZ[PJ LUKLH]VYZ :OL ÄUKZ YLHKPUN HUK [YH]LS HUK spending time with friends and family very satisfying as well.

Speaking of family, Ed and Hollie have raised two incredible sons, Rusty and Mac, both married and living in the Atlanta area. There are no grandchildren yet, but she anxiously anticipates the day that she can teach her grandchildren to create art. Ed built his wife an art studio in their home, lovingly naming it Bear Point Art Studio in honor of the black bears who visit often. Finding new homes for her art is very satisfying and if you see something here that you love, or would like to see more of her work, Hollie can be contacted I`WOVULH[ "[OYV\NOZVJPHSTLKPH-HJLIVVR HUK0UZ[HNYHTVYI`LTHPSH[ILHYWVPU[Z[\KPV'NTHPSJVT0 IL[`V\HZ0^PSSIL^H[JOPUNMVYM\[\YLYLUKLYPUNZMYVT[OPZ talented artist.

finding Art