A World of Colors: a celebration of the life and art of Holly Renald Cohn

An exhibition of paintings entitled “A World of Colors: a celebration
of the life and art of Holly Renald Cohn” is being held in the
Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Gallery from November 13 through January 6,
2017. An Elmhurst resident since 1964, the artist was a strong
supporter of both the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild and the Elmhurst Art
Museum. She died two years ago. Many of her paintings from the last
15 years of her life are included in the show.

A reception, free and open to the public, is scheduled for November 18
from 7 to 9 pm in the EAG Gallery, which is located at the Elmhurst
Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst.

Holly was devoted to art and a perfectionist in all she created, according
to Bert Cohn, her husband of over 50 years. Her lifelong interest
started in high school. She majored in art at Antioch College,
followed by graduate courses at the School of the Chicago Art
Institute. But she never stopped studying, taking lessons from
several established artists. “She was always seeking critiques of
her work from other artists, always seeking perfection,” he said.

After college, she worked for many years as a package designer for
Container Corporation of America, first in Chicago, then in Carol
Stream. She quit when her first daughter was born and became a
traditional stay-at-home mother for her two daughters. By the time
she strived to get back into the design field, the technology had
changed drastically, becoming computer oriented, and she felt she
couldn’t master it. Instead, she again took up painting.

Holly’s paintings hang in both private and public collections. She exhibited
many times, mostly in the Chicago area but also in downstate Illinois
and Indiana, and her paintings won prizes. In 2010, she exhibited in
the Elmhurst Art Museum in a show entitled "The Search for
Form," described in the show’s brochure as " the work of
two remarkable Chicago artists, Eleanor Himmelfarb and Holly Renald
Cohn.” Himmelfarb was Holly’s teacher for many years and greatly
influenced her style.

The exhibition, presented by Atkinson Collection Gallery, can be viewed
during regular Museum hours, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
and Sunday from 11am to 5pm and Friday from 11am to 7pm. The first
Friday of each month is the Museum’s free admission day. At other
times, admission for adults is $8 and for seniors $7. EAM and Guild
members, students and children under 18 are admitted free.

A portion of the proceeds of any artwork sold benefits the Guild and
the Elmhurst Art Museum. The EAG gallery is not-for-profit, operated
by the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild separate from the Museum. It
features original contemporary artworks in a variety of styles and
media. In addition to four member shows each year, the guild hosts
exhibitions of individual member’s artwork and invitational shows
for significant local artists. More information is available at
elmhurstartistsguild.org,