Fierce… Alluring… and Killer.

Holly Suzanne Rader transforms images of iconic 1920’s era scarlets, models, and movie stars into fierce symbols of female empowerment. Rader’s “The Killer Queen” exhibition is displayed at Detour Gallery, in Red bank NJ. The exhibition was titled after one of Rader’s clinquant paintings “Killer Queen." Depicted in this collage painting is 1930’s hollywood heartthrob, Bebe Daniels. Bebe’s makeover consists of a pink bob, jeweled armor, and luscious red lips, all of which exemplify Rader’s “inner desire to remove the female frailties our society has portrayed as weak while highlighting all of the exquisite characteristics that make up femininity.” To communicate her inherent philosophy of glittering feminine heroism, Rader works with a diversified range of mediums including, acrylic, photo collage, wax, resin, paper mache, wall paper, sequins, even little plastic barbie shoes.  Rader eclectically adorns her array of materials to wood panels or onto one of her her dazzling dress sculptures.

After obtaining her MFA at the School of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, notable articles about Rader were published in the New York times, Le Monde, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Le Figaro and Cottage form, who regarded Rader’s artwork to be “bleeding femininity with modern form.” Aside from her Red Bank debut, Rader’s work has been featured in the “Women by Women” show at the Mona Bismarck Foundation in Paris, France. Rader was commissioned to create paintings for the 2006 SCAD fashion gala honoring designer Vera Wang. And in 2010, the college commissioned her to create over 200 mixed-media works for installation at their Hong Kong campus.

The strong female influences Rader has been surrounded by throughout her life, such as her mother, aunts, and grandmother, gave her the confidence and drive to become the non-traditional artist she is today. Rader teaches classes to spread her message of female power to young girls in Asbury Park New Jersey.  She hopes that through her classes her creative guidance will influence her young students to become female crusaders themselves.

- Monica Cioppettini