Published on November 28, 2023
Original Painting by Hollie Roy to be Auctioned, Raising Funds for Local Hospice Patients/Families
The artwork for Alive & The Bluebird 2024 comes from Alive family member and local artist, Hollie Roy.
When Hollie was approached by Alive nurse Marc Vera with the idea of donating a custom piece to Alive’s biggest annual fundraising event, she jumped at the chance to give back to an organization she already felt deeply connected to.
“Alive was instrumental in bringing my father-in-law home to rest comfortably and peacefully, surrounded by family and friends at the last stages of his battle with cancer,” says Hollie. “Again, when my grandmother wanted to be home for her final weeks of life, it was the amazing nurses from Alive who helped us keep her comfortable, held our hands and offered the most genuine support during such a difficult time.”
Hollie is incredibly grateful for the precious final moments she had with her loved ones at home, supported by her care team. “The nurses who came through our doors were our angels, allowing us to ask questions and beg assurances. They kept our treasured people comfortable. What a beautiful gift they gave us, away from sterile hospitals, tucked safely into our homes.”
Hollie is a Nashville native who loves experimenting with color and movement in her abstract art. Inspired by her Middle Tennessee roots and the quiet moments she appreciates in life, she discovered her creative calling in 2019. She’s been painting colorful, abstract pieces ever since.
“Somehow, between meeting the demands of three active kids and home projects with my husband, I discovered this path to creating art,” Hollie says. “I’m always looking for ways to embrace the smallest moments and emotions that can be shared through art.”
Hollie incorporated landscape elements along with poetry and musical symbols to make a piece uniquely representative of this special annual event. It reflects the local roots she shares with Alive and the experience she had with Alive and her family.
“I knew I wanted to represent the beauty of Tennessee, Nashville’s deep roots to music, and the lovely souls who allow us the opportunity to spend quality time with our loved ones at their end-of-life transition.”
She started with inspiration from a favorite poem by Emily Dickinson, “’Hope’ is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all…” Those words are written in ink on the lower part of the canvas under the hills and trees.
“If you look closely, you might see a bit of it. And, of course, I had to include a guitar…it’s The Bluebird Cafe, and this is Nashville! The outline of the hills is the shape of the body of an acoustic guitar. I used my oldest daughter’s guitar to help get the shape right.”
Hollie also drew on the concept of complementary differences to bring additional meaning to the piece.
“Up top, in the sky, the underlay is a series of shapes that are connected but different. The image felt comforting, showing differences can be connected. You can see some of those patterns through the clouds.”
The focal point of the piece is a sunrise bursting through the guitar’s sound hole, brightening the landscape like music, hope, or a new perspective. “I loved the perspective that placing the sun in the sound hole gave to the work. Talking to my friend Marc, who is an Alive Hospice nurse, it just made sense that the perspective would be from a ‘bigger picture’ mindset. That conversation led to the title, ‘The Beauty of Perspective.’”
Don’t miss your chance to own this original piece! The Beauty of Perspective will be auctioned at this year’s Bluebird series to raise funds for Alive patients and families who cannot afford services, as well as our free grief support and educational offerings for the whole community.
Related Stories:
Hit Songwriters and The Bluebird Cafe Raise Funds for Alive’s End-of-Life and Grief Care
Alive RN Marc Vera became hospice nurse after partner’s terminal illness
Tennessee native and self-taught artist, Hollie Roy draws from her southern upbringing, her love of nature and appreciation of life experiences to create works on canvas and paper. Whether she is working with layers of acrylic paints, watercolors of sunsets or sketching a new idea on her porch, she is always looking for ways to embrace the smallest moments and uncover the whispers of familiar emotion that can be experienced through art. On any given day you can find her in her studio, singing along with her playlist and getting lost in the details of her latest work. See More of Hollie’s Art
Alive & The Bluebird at The Bluebird Cafe
Alive & The Bluebird is back for its 31st year! Our year-long series kicks off with a full month of shows at The Bluebird Cafe and continues throughout the year with additional events at other Middle Tennessee locations. All proceeds support patients at the end of life and their loved ones.