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Johnathan
Harris'
Artist Statement
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Art
is a tranquil retreat
for me and saved my life,
quite literally. Following
a serious health scare
in my 20's, I turned to
my art for an escape and
started painting seriously.
I've always been captivated
by landscapes and nature
but now long treks up
mountains and through
forests are more meaningful
to me as the beauty and
serenity of the natural
world aided my recovery
from illness. Creating
artwork is my passion,
a refuge from the modern
world, a time for me to
reflect and express; an
absolute necessity for
me to feel complete.
I prefer to focus on Southwestern
landscapes not only for
the naturally beautiful
compositions, the colors
and endless inspiration
but also because of the
effect of seasonal changes
and variations due to
light.
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Growing
up surrounded by the beauty
and charm of nature and having
many special memories of travelling
around the South and Southwest
United States with family and
friends, it seemed natural for
me to focus on nature and scenery.
I also paint abstracts to experiment
with palettes and patterns and
I oftentimes use landscapes
as the inspiration. In abstract
work, I find a great sense of
freedom and expression of moods.
My creative process starts with
exploring different geographical
areas where I take detailed
photographs of interesting or
visually striking scenery that
leads to a great composition.
The process ends in the studio
where the actual sketching and
painting takes place. Although
experienced in mixed media and
various techniques, I enjoy
using acrylics on canvas mainly.
My finished artwork is bold
and vibrant in statement through
my use of color and I feel my
strong contemporary style of
painting sets my work apart
from others. My unique interpretation
of Southwest landscapes has
allowed me to build up a strong
following of collectors and
good representation in galleries
where my shows and artwork sales
continue to be very successful.
I strive to capture on canvas
all the sensations and revelations
I experience when I am alone
in the midst of nature and thus
enable viewers to enjoy my perception
of the world. My striking palette
of colors and signature style,
together with the memorable
compositions seem to leave a
lasting impression on viewers
and collectors alike. My artwork
is represented in galleries
in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Canyon
Road Contemporary Art, Inc.);
Sedona, Arizona (Lanning Fine
Art Gallery); Scottsdale, Arizona
(Duley-Jones Gallery); Carmel
by the Sea, California (Pearl
Canyon Gallery); Memphis, Tennessee
(T.Clifton Art Gallery).
Artist
Biography
Johnathan
Harris was born in 1975 in Siloam
Springs, Arkansas. Very early
in his life he discovered his
passion for art. After visiting
New Mexico at a young age, the
beauty and charm of the Southwest
landscape captivated him and
soon became the subject matter
for his paintings. Capturing
the Vibrancy of the Southwest
became the driving force behind
his work. He is a self-taught
artist who has been painting
professionally (full-time) since
2004. He earned a Marketing
Degree from the University of
Arkansas in 2000. He always
knew he was going to be an artist,
but he chose to pursue a marketing
degree rather than an art degree
in order to better market and
promote his art. Harris moved
to Santa Fe, NM in 2001 to paint
and pursue his goal of being
a full-time artist. His artwork
is represented in galleries
in Santa Fe, New Mexico (Canyon
Road Contemporary Art, Inc.);
Sedona, Arizona (Lanning Fine
Art Gallery); Scottsdale, Arizona
(Duley-Jones Gallery); Carmel
by the Sea, California (Pearl
Canyon Gallery); Memphis, Tennessee
(T.Clifton Art Gallery).
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