About Holly Chorba
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Holly Chorba employs photography and story telling through photography as a way to better see the beauty and wonder of the world, interpret it and share it with others.
Photo by Rich Glinski
Holly Chorba's Story
Chorba delights in communicating through photography and writing her life-long love of nature, people and art. Her well-blessed life of a naturalist, sharing with family and friends, fell into a well of despair when her husband of thirty years passed away unexpectedly. Ron’s death in 2018 left her floundering for a way to survive, maintain a sense of his presence, and continue to love and live. Her book "Its Okay…Scream in theShower" (Chorba, 2021) shares the supports and resources she received from spiritual insight, family, friends and the media that gave her the practicalities that losing a partner demands, the communion to survive the emotional trauma of losing one’s spouse and the inspiration to continue life with radically changed expectations.
Holly has regained her balance and learned to thrive again. She currently resides in the “North Country”, New York State’s northeastern region between the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Adirondack Park and in Green Valley, Arizona. She enjoys immersing herself in the peace and beauty of home, cooking, entertaining friends and family, hiking, paddling, travel and reading…just about any activity that involves friends and family enjoying the outdoors. She feels especially blessed to live in two such beautiful areas of the country, her vision continually refreshed by the southwest /northeast dichotomy.Her fondest hope is that her work will inspire appreciation and preservation of our God-Given natural world.
Achievements
Formal Education:
1967 Honor Diploma Orchard Park Central School, Orchard Park,New York
1971Bachelor of Arts/Biology, State University of NY at Potsdam
1978 Master of Arts, Education SUNY Potsdam
1989 Masters of Education Administration, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY
Development of Chorba's role as a photographer/producer/author:
1968 New mother adopting father’s habit of documenting family events.
1971-1980 Teacher/graduate student researching in the US Virgin Islands and Florida; presenting slide programs to her students, communicating the exotic characteristics of subtropical plants and animals.
1970's -2004 Career as an educator; Biology and Chemistry at Brushton-Moira Central School, Brushton, NY and as Curriculum Coordinator, Director of Instruction, and Junior/Senior High School Principal.
1996 Awarded “Educator of Excellence “ by the New York State English Council
2000-2004 Conclusion of career in public education as Potsdam High School Principal
2001-2002 Awarded School Administrators Association of New Your State (SAANYS) "Distinguished Secondary Principal" and National Association of Secondary School Principals' "Principal of the Year."(2000-2004).
2001 Key event: Educator's trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe with the American Society of Curriculum Developers and People to People International. Production of "Appreciation: the Key to Happiness", a slide presentation for her students and for Clarkson University’s Fulbright Exchange program.
2004 Retirement from public education. Winter move to Green Valley, Arizona with husband Ronald Chorba.
2005-Present enrollment in the Green Valley Camera Club, (http://dev.gvcameraclub.org) one of the largest camera clubs in the nation, and member of Multi-Media Special Interest Group (Served as Board member for 6 years, Club president for four years, Travelogue Coordinator for 10 years), Class instructor for iPhone and iMovie Photography, "Story Telling for Photographers", tutoring on production of greeting cards, pamphlets, photo-books, calendars, slideshows and movies.
2012-2022 GVR CC Speaker Series Coordinator for 10 years
2005-Present: Presentation of her multi-media productions (including Chincheros and Lima Peru, Traveling the Amazon, The Northville-Placid Trail, Iceland and many more) to "Green Valley Recreation Camera (Photography) Club", “Vermont Club” of Green Valley, “Saranac Village at Will Rogers” Saranac Lake, NY and “North Florida Retirement Village” Gainesville, Fl.
Chorba’s photographs celebrate her vision of “Nature by God”.
Photography Awards:
2003 WINNER Alpo International Sled Dog Photography Contest Winner
2006 W. Nature Conservancy of Northern New York Photo Contest “Evening Reflections”
2016 W. Print Division “Allison’s Adventure in Wonderland” and “Pitcher Picture” at juried exhibition “Life on the Lakes”, Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center.
2016 Cover Selection Fine Art Up North Calendar, St. Lawrence County Arts Council “Spring Maple”;
2017 Cover S. FAUPC, SLCAC "Pond Lilly"
2020 Winner Adirondack Mountain Club Laurentian Chapter Landscape Division Photo “October Morn, Boreas Ponds”
2021 Winner ADK Mt C LC Artistic Div. “Reflections”
2022 Honorable Mention ADK's Centennial Photography Contest "Lake Placid Tracks"