Toxic Treat interviews: Holly Randall
If you are a connoisseur of erotic photography, then chances are that, like me, you're already a huge fan of Holly Randall. Although for most people she needs no introduction, I'll do my best to do this fabulous photographer justice with a short intro (and I'll try to keep my fan gushing to a minimum!).
Ms. Randall was born in Hollywood, CA and took her first photography class at the tender age of 12. She attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara before leaving to begin work for Suze.net. It wasn't long before Holly had earned her degree in World Literature from UCLA (Renaissance woman, anyone?) and was doing her own layouts for Suze.net with the likes of Penthouse, Playgirl,and Hustler vying for her work. The message of her photography is one of beauty and female empowerment, as well as undeniable, delicious eroticism.
Without further ado, it is with much pleasure that I give you Toxic Treat's exclusive interview with Ms. Holly Randall.
How would you describe yourself as an artist? What drives you, what inspires your work.
I would describe myself as a pornographer, to be honest. Look, what I do I try to do with some class and style, but I don't kid myself in the sense that I think what I produce is for artistic purposes as opposed to masturbatory purposes. What inspires me is the girl really-- if she's super hot or sexy that gives me inspiration to try and do the best shoot on her that I can do. What drives me is really just love for my work.
You have an academic background in world literature. How has this translated into your work?
Holly Randall
It hasn't, if you are talking about my photography. But if you're talking about my writing (I write 3 columns a month for two different adult publications), then my background as an English major most certainly plays a part. My style is unusual in that I write about very scandalous subjects in a collegiate essay form. It doesn't really fit, but I guess that's what makes it interesting (if you find my writing interesting).
In one of your writings you muse about "witches" as symbols of "independent women who did not bow to the overwhelming men-are-in-charge rule." How has feminism colored your work? How do you respond to sex-negative feminists who claim the erotic inherently devalues women.
Well I don't really call myself a feminist, first of all. But I do like to glorify women in my work-- if you look at my boy/girl sets for example, the woman is most often in charge. I also like to shoot women as dominatrixes in my fetish work. For me, the model is the star of the show, and it's my job to make her look and feel as beautiful as possible. Those who claim that pornography is degrading to women are actually not entirely wrong when you look at a lot of porn these days. But that is not the case in my work, or the case in many of the more respected companies in the industry. Thus it is wrong to issue that as a blanket statement for all of pornography. But as women are accepting higher positions and becoming more powerful in the mainstream industry, the same is happening in the adult industry. A lot of women are in charge of, or are at least in high level positions in adult companies these days, and many of them got their start as performers. The suggestion that all women who perform in adult movies are fools to a patriarchal system degrades them in two ways: 1) it automatically places them in the role of the victim and suggests that they cannot be of a rational mind to make such decisions, because of course 2) women can't possibly be true sexual creatures and inherent exhibitionists. Where are the cries of grievance for the men who perform in the porn industry? I suppose we don't worry about them because they are men and can take care of themselves, whereas women are poor, pathetic weak creatures who have been led astray into this dark practice we call pornography, and we must save them! I don't buy it.
1. What sets artists apart from "normal people"?
Artists have an innate ability to communicate with people in a way that makes their audience pause for a second, because it touches something within. It can set of a variety of reactions: anger, sadness, joy-- but the point is that it evokes a feeling. It illuminates something to us on a subconscious level that we can relate to, but cannot put into words. You know when you see something artistic, but you can't always explain why it is so.
2. What hangs on your walls?
Photographs (taken by other people) and some French vintage art. I don't like too much clutter on my walls though, so it's minimal.
3. What do you want to say with your art?
"Join my site Suze.net!" Hahahaha... Seriously though I want men to see my women as explicitly sexy and powerful as well.
4. What is the biggest mistake you have ever made as an artist? Will you do it again?
I was too loose with my tongue (or technically, my keyboard) and said some things about a client on an online chatboard who I did not have very good relations with at the time. It got back to them, and now I will never be able to mend that relationship. I would most certainly not do that again.
5. If you could share a meal with any artist, past or present, who would it be?
If we can include authors in this, it would be Ernest Hemingway no doubt. If it has to be a photographer or a painter of some sort, it would probably be Ellen Von Unwerth. I love her style!
6. What is your favorite reaction that anyone has ever had to your work?
Once I shot a model who had only done gonzo work, and so she wasn't used to being all dolled up with a proper makeup artist and stylist. She was even surprised that I fed her breakfast and lunch. When she came over to look at her first shots on the computer, she began to cry, and said: "I had no idea I could look so beautiful!" I told her that she really was beautiful, she just needed the right professionals to bring it out in her. It was a very touching moment.
7. How did you first get started in art?
I've always been fascinated by photography, and I obviously had my mother to encourage me in that field. I took my first photography class at the age of 12, and I've been hooked ever since.
8. What is your favorite piece that you have created? why?
Without a doubt it's my shot of Renee Perez in an American flag bikini in front of an old broken-down vintage bomber plane. It's such a gorgeous retro-looking shot, it doesn't even look remotely pornographic. It's really an iconic shot.
9. What is your favorite color or set of colors?
That all depends... I like bright vibrant reds, greens, and blues. Morrocan style sets are usually my favorite because of the coloring and the ethnic detailing.
10. Which one of the "seven deadly sins" do you find yourself most drawn to?
Hahahaha... well I'm pretty sure I have a little of them all. But I can't say I'm really drawn to one more than the other. I used to be a glutton when it came to alcohol, but I've been sober for over a year so that's no longer the case.
11. What is your dream of happiness?
A sense of inner peace and a family to share my life with.
12. What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
You have to really love what you do to make it worth the time and energy it takes to make a real piece of art. And it's OK if you're a little bit crazy-- most of us are!
