Giant Ostridges, Canadian Geese in flight, whimsical pond and garden creatures such as butterflies, frogs and a jazz quartet are just some of the amazing sculptures that can be seen at the home and studio of George and his wife Lydia Holancin.
George is a talented, skilled artist. His medium is metal, his materials are re-cycled farm parts and his passion for life, family, respect for nature and the environment all combined with a sense of humour give you some insight into his life.
George’s life experiences have also helped to sculpture and shape his life today. He comes from a proud and long history of farmers in the Holland Marsh, Ontario. His father John started their family farm that over time grew to be a 280 acre carrot and onion business. George and his brothers worked the family farm with their father, and then they gradually took over the management and day-to-day activities as time went on.
Due to the seasonal nature of farming, George had the opportunity to move to New York City to work as a professional model. It was during his 5 years there that he met his future wife Lydia who was also working as a professional model. Their city life was wonderful and exciting and this is where George gained great appreciation for photography and jazz music. It was the birth of their daughter Anna in 1968 that brought them home to Ontario.
Once back, helping his family run their business, George discovered his creative talents inadvertently in the early 1990’s. While dealing with the environmental issues associated with discarded tools and farm implements, he began to look upon these objects in a different light. Using his well tuned skills as a welder, George realized the potential for recycling and utilizing interesting shapes such as – the curve of a plow and the slender harrows used for baling hay as the inspiration for his sculptures of today.
“For me, there is also a sense of history when I create a bird or animal using long-forgotten implements such as hay rakes or obsolete plows. Having spent most of my life close to nature, I envisioned my ideas when I came across pieces of metal nestled in the weeds and wooded areas” explains Holancin.
George and Lydia enjoy life to the fullest. They can often been found, enjoying their hobbies, supporting great causes, visiting with friends and their family, (especially their daughter Anna, and their three grandsons: David, Anthony and Jonathan.)
George invites you to call or drop by, and see his birds, his geese and all his other creatures at 17030 Weston Road, Kettleby, Ontario (905) 727-4463.
