Gordon Harris’ artworks are instantly recognisable for their rich colours, meticulous detail and haunting portraits …
‘Camouflage Girl’
Who or what kickstarted your artistic journey?
To be truthful, it would be that when I was in school I spent more time drawing the people around me than doing schoolwork!
You are known for dramatic figurative work – has any artist influenced your style and how it has evolved?
I lived near the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork and as a youngster I couldn’t walk by a portrait of a young girl with a haunting stare. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Maybe that’s where I got my first inspiration. I still don’t know who painted this painting, but it stays with me until this day. The feeling that I got from it is what I’m trying to replicate in my own paintings. My painting style has evolved to stop people in their tracks.
How and where do you work?
I work from my garage at home and after staging a photoshoot I work from photographic references.
‘Azure Blue’
Your daughters feature in your portraits, including your latest exhibition. Can you tell us about the starting point and symbolism behind it?
We’re going back a few years, but the starting point was when my eldest daughter Elise was in hospital with meningitis. It was touch and go. She had a sketch pad for drawing, which I took up and drew a sketch of her sitting up in bed. From that moment on, my work had a recurring theme of protection. This new collection includes portraits of my daughters, which acts as a social commentary on fatherhood, as well as current geopolitical issues. ‘Soul Child’ and ‘Peace’ confront political instability, with innocence taking on aggression. The message behind the ‘Camouflage’ series is that beauty gives a person power and camouflage.
‘The Golden Empress’
Do you have any particular favourites from the exhibition?
Picking a favourite painting is like picking a favourite child, but I do like the strong-willed expression of ‘The Golden Empress’ – unfazed by the world, ready to take on anything. An empress does not concern herself with the antics of fools. The message of this painting is to be strong, be fearless, be beautiful.
Need to know: An exhibition of Gordon’s latest works will be showcased at Gormleys, 471 Lisburn Road, Belfast from January 11 to 31. www.gormleys.ie
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