Local photographer Tara Holland believes that Art is seeing, and she talks about how she's always striving to see the world around her through photographs. See Holland's prints at the next Hollywood RAW showcase at Cinespace on Thursday, September 2nd!

Tell us about yourself and how you first got started making art? 
Well, I think that art is how you see things, and that started very young for me. I guess you could say it started when I was two years old. I first picked up the camera when I was eight. I went around and photographed the kids on the playground. I still have the box of slides somewhere. I was smaller than all the other kids, so the perspective, in each of the photos, is looking up, which is kind of funny.  

How would you describe your aesthetic? 
I find certain patterns very pleasing, symmetrical patterns, circles, and checker boards. I like capturing stills of people in daily life, seeing the picture in nature, rather than creating the picture with a setup shot. I like wide open spaces and greenery. I love lens flares.  

From where do you draw inspiration for your work?
From daily life, what I see around me, from my imagination, and from my friends and family. 

What do you love most about what you do?  
There's just something very pleasing about taking a photograph, even if it's just in my mind's eye, without the camera. 

From start to finish, explain your process; what does a typical art-making day look like for you?  
I don't really do art making days, per se. I'm a web developer. My days consist of writing code. Photography is second nature to me. It's really just how I see the world and then wanting to capture that. If I don't have a camera with me, I still see the pictures. It's always there. The more I go out and do, the more varied the pictures are. I like going on adventures and bringing the cameras along.  

Medium of choice? 
Junk store cameras and slide film. I also like using a proper 35mm camera now and again and black and white film. 

Any accomplishments/goals you hope to achieve as an artist in the future? 
I hope I can do my part in helping to keep film around a little longer. I love taking a slide and holding it up to the light and seeing a picture. I think it's such a crazy wonderful thing and I'm not done playing with it yet.  

Why showcase at RAW?  
Showcasing at RAW is a great opportunity for fun and I like fun. 

Favorite thing to do outside of your craft?  
Being a mom to the best kid ever, of course. Also, I like to cook.

Any current rising stars within the art arena that you would recommend we look out for? 
Yes, Ronen V!