Photos and story by Kim Hoholek
Hi, I am Kim Hoholek and I have been a photographer since the early 1990s. During that time I have photographed many beautiful scenes around this great state of Wisconsin but Janesville has become a favorite.
I hail from a very small area of Northern Wisconsin just south of Rhinelander. Growing up I was always outdoors and surrounded by nature. I never really considered walking in the woods to be “hiking” because it just seemed like a natural part of my day-to-day life. In early 2000, I went through a period where I gave up on photography and exploring.
I moved to Janesville in summer of 2013 and in 2015 started to slowly get into photography and exploration again after having stepped away from it.
In 2019, I read a news article about an artist (Jeff Henriquez) that would be creating a large-scale mural of Black Hawk on a building in the downtown. I felt an immediate pull to see this event unfold and began documenting the process with my camera. I felt exhilarated! The event changed me. After the mural was completed, I saw things in a new way. I was hungry for opportunities to photograph things of beauty. It was then that I realized Janesville had so much to offer! I discovered there were several other murals and pieces of art to enjoy. More than 50 and they will be adding more in 2021! It seemed the more steps that I took, the more gems I found.
I also discovered a multitude of green spaces that brought me great joy. I was awakened to the loveliness of this charming community: the Ice Age Trail, Palmer Park, Rotary Botanical Gardens, Riverside Park, Monterey Park, Robert O Cook Memorial Arboretum, the Town Square – the list is endless! The city has truly captured my heart and my photography lens forever.
Janesville, you have become my beautiful canvas with your photogenic nature. I am forever grateful and in awe of the beauty you hold. I look forward to getting out to photograph and enjoy the city each day, and I love sharing the amazing city with friends and family.
Interesting Facts About Kim:
- I have been mentored by a photographer who freelanced for National Geographic.
- I currently am working on a travel project called Wisconsin Unincorporated. I wish to document and photograph as many of the 1,514 unincorporated communities in the state as possible.
- My hobby of photographing Janesville has given me great joy and created many new friendships. It has brought about exciting opportunities as well. I recently just joined Allies of Native Nations for Rock County. I think it’s an amazing organization and I can’t wait to learn and do more with them.
If you’re looking for great photo opps in Janesville, visit www.janesvillecvb.com and check out our Calendar of Events to see what’s going on around town.
