Winter Hot Shot Holly Andres comes to us from Portland, OR. The panel was drawn to the strange, almost off putting moments contrived in her work. Ultra-panelist Joe Holmes equates it with classical painting, panelist Eileen Gittens, the theatre. Her website is chock-full of things you need to see. Read her thoughts below, see more of her work here.

When + where were you born?
1977, Missoula MT

Where were you trained, if anywhere?
Portland State University, MFA
University of Montana, BFA
Art Institute of Seattle
I've also learned a lot from my husband, who's worked as a commercial photographer and continues to collaborate with me on my projects.

What do you do to pay the bills?
I am a college professor, teaching video/film and foundation art classes at Portland State University and the Art Institute of Portland. My husband and I also have a wedding photo business that generates quite a bit of money during the summer and is an excellent opportunity to refine our craft and get a creative workout.

What led you to photography over other mediums?
My undergrad is in painting and drawing. I consider myself a conceptual artist who is now working in photography and video/film. I am specifically drawn to photography because it seems to be the best way to visually represent some of the concepts and themes in my work. I love the idea of capturing/creating a "decisive moment" and building a narrative with in a single image.

What is your guiltiest tech pleasure?
Most of my images have some digital enhancements/alterations such as cloning areas in or out or isolating a color and changing it. I guess it's the
painter in me.

Do you have any other creative talents?
film/video, drawing, painting

What image is permanently etched into your brain and thank goodness for it?

99 Cent by Andreas Gursky

Seeing Andreas Gursky's 99 Cent in person really elicited a powerful response in me and changed my perception of photography.

Who are three of your favorite living artists?
Joel Sternfeld, Gregory Crewdson, Anna Gaskell

What does the spring and beyond have in its forecast for you?
I'm in the post-production phase of a collaborative short narrative film loosely influenced by the eminent shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho. Our rendition proves to be more empowering for the female protagonist, however.

Share 3 of your favorite links with us.
www.urbanhonking.com
www.tjnorris.net/blog
www.portlandart.net

What led you to enter Hey, Hot Shot!?
www.portlandart.net a fabulous resource for Portland based artists.

Anything about you, exciting news, oddball facts, or otherwise, that we should know?
Just a little fun fact... I have really bad travel anxiety and despite the fact that I projectile vomited the last time I was in an airport, I'm still coming to NYC for the Hey, Hot Shot! Show!!!

[And that she did! The opening was a smash success. We were so happy to have all 10 Hot Shots in one space. Thanks to all who attended, see you next time!]