I grew up in a construction based family and spent a number of weekends and summers working on job sites installing HVAC duct work. During this time I started playing bass and studied architecture in a technical high school. I eventually went to college for it but then changed my courses because I was terrible at math, I switched to studying art. It was around this time I started becoming extremely obsessed with music . I got into a college radio show, started playing in bands, and hosted open mic nights. It was my senior year, while doing my thesis on Chinese landscape painting, that I started using music in art. Notably, using my bass amp to move things around a canvas which made for a great mess and a neat live show, but I kept evolving from there.

I finished with a B.A. in art and stayed with music re-attending school in Boston to get a degree in audio production and recording. I joined a new band that spent the next five years playing around the Northeast. During this time, I was drawing a fair amount and kept tweaking my style. It wasn't until I neared the end of those five years that I really became interested in drawing and painting.

I eventually left the band and moved to New Orleans where I decided to focus on my art instead of music; I've never regretted it since. I've been having a blast drawing sound and music and selling my work in New Orleans at the French Market and now the Frenchmen Art Market. I'm proud to say I am currently in my fourth year of that now.

Tony Hollums is a New Orleans artist living and working in the Marigny neighborhood.