Holly creates business from her passion for art

Artist Holly Thompson has worked with ConneXu and set up her own micro-enterprise, Holly’s Original Art. Photo / Supplied

Te Awamutu artist Holly Thompson’s passion and artistic talents have taken her hobby to new heights including running her own micro-enterprise called Holly’s Original Art.

Holly’s vivacious personality matches her colourful hair – and her artistic flair is just as colourful. Her eyes light up as she talks about her love of art and craft and how her work has led her to create a business model to sell her wares at local markets and on social media.

It hasn’t always been rainbows and brightness for Holly, who admits that due to her disability, she felt excluded when she was younger and attending school and couldn’t wait to leave her hometown for new horizons when given the chance.

Arriving in Te Awamutu nearly five years ago, Holly partnered with ConneXu, a local disability support provider that works with disabled people, enabling and empowering them to live the life they choose.

And for Holly, that choice meant living on her own in her own flat, where she could be free to work on her art whenever inspiration takes hold while also becoming an active member of her community, something her art has assisted with greatly.

“I love art, I love colour. My mum is an artist and my role model when it comes to my art. Some of what I do, I have learned from her and some I have taught myself, and some is from the art classes I attend in town,” she says.

Her art is her small business, or what is known as a micro-enterprise, with Holly heading to local markets to sell her paintings, as well as handmade kawakawa balm, candles, bath bombs, cards, photography, felt creations, jewellery, and tie-dyed creations.

“I have been at the Te Awamutu and Ōtorohanga markets, and the craft weekend markets at Fraser High School in Hamilton. The markets are good, and I get to talk to people about my art,” she says.

The self-confessed night owl says a lot of her creativity comes to her in the late evening when it is quiet and gives her time to paint.

“I can just chill and be creative – it’s nice and quiet,” Holly says.

Holly has also spent time teaching art to other people, including a blind friend, which gave her a challenge when it came to how to explain each step.

“I really had to think about how to explain each part of what we were doing and that was really interesting to have to think about it all in a new way.”

“Art is like my own type of therapy, it is what has brought my mum and I closer together since we live apart, and it is my passion. I love colour and I love to be creative, and it gives me my own space. ConneXu has given me my own space and has given me choice and control over how I live my life – and that is really important to me.”

ConneXu feels like a family, she says.

“It has a real family feel and you can be supported with how you want to live and have a choice with that. They are pretty cool and listen to me and have helped me,” she says.

“It is important that you never give up on yourself and what you want to achieve. You have to put your mind to it, and with ConneXu supporting me, I can achieve what I set out to do.”

Check out Holly’s art and creations on Facebook under Holly’s Original Art.