Chad Holliday is a prominent glass artist and educator who has made significant contributions to the field of glass sculpture and education. His work is characterized by a deep understanding of the properties of glass, particularly its interaction with light and space, and is influenced by a range of artistic movements including Cubism, Constructivism, and Czech aesthetics.

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Chad Holliday received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Emporia State University in Kansas. He then went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in glass sculpture and metal fabrication/jewelry design from the Rochester Institute of Technology. This diverse educational background provided him with a strong foundation in both traditional and contemporary artistic techniques.

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In 2007, Holliday was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship, which marked a significant turning point in his career. This fellowship allowed him to conduct research on glass education at the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Kamenicky Senov, Czechia, which is renowned as the first glass school in the world. During his time in the Czech Republic, Holliday not only conducted research but also taught classes, further developing his skills as both an artist and an educator.

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Holliday’s work is deeply influenced by his experiences in the Czech Republic, as well as his interest in Gothic art, particularly St. Vitus’s Cathedral. He is fascinated by the use of primordial forms and the manipulation of light in art. Holliday’s artistic philosophy revolves around the concept of “seeing” and accessing what he terms the “collective consciousness” or “back brain”.

 

In his sculptures, Holliday explores the unique properties of glass, particularly its ability to create interior space and interact with light. He considers these elements, along with the traditional sculptural dimensions of height, width, and depth, as “assets” in his work. Holliday also incorporates the concept of time as a “fourth dimension” in his sculptures, creating works that engage viewers on multiple levels.