THE ARTIST

Art and automobiles have always been integral to Christopher Holler’s life. He first learned the beauty of brushstrokes from his father, Roger Holler Jr., who founded Holler-Classic Automotive Group 70 years ago. The company has grown to be Central Florida’s oldest and most successful group of dealerships.

As a child, Holler would spend evenings looking over his father’s shoulder as he created paintings and ink drawings. Soon, the younger Holler was experimenting and developing his own artistic talents. Upon his father’s passing in 2004, his mother Juliette
requested that “Chris” honor their shared love of art by sculpting a bronze angel, titled “The GuardianAngel,” which is included in the Polasek exhibit. Holler, 39, also is an avid painter with an impressionistic style. His creations reflect scenes in nature and home, and mostly follow the forms of still-lifes and landscapes.

But bronze work, largely with biblical influences, continues to be Holler’s favored medium. His catalog of work includes a 4-foot bronze angel he created for his home, a 5-foot bronze sculpture he created for display at Winter Park Memorial Hospital, and
a 4-foot kneeling angel, still in progress, which is included in the exhibit in its clay form. Also in progress is a work commissioned to grace the new entrance fountain to Winter Park Memorial Hospital, a Florida Hospital, which features a gentle life-size
lion protecting a lamb. The sculpture will serve to honor the family’s recent pledge of $1.5 million to the hospital’s building campaign and provide patients and families with a restful, reflective place with the animals specifically designed to encourage children to climb and embrace.

Holler’s greatest passion is family. Alongside his brother Roger III and sister Jill Holler Rogers, Christopher serves as vice president of the family business. His mother leads the company as president. A lifelong resident of Winter Park, he is married to his
high-school sweetheart, Danyal, and is the proud father of three children. He is also the great-grandson of famed businessman and author William E. Holler, who led the division of Chevrolet Motor Company and was vice president of General Motors.

“To God be the Glory” is the first full exhibit of Holler’s work.