-- Betty Harper of Naples -- Abstract Artist
Phone: 615.218.4100 email: bettyharper2013@gmail.com
Betty Harper
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One of the greatest challenges an artist faces is knowing when a piece is finished. I frequently step away from a piece to examine its elements for harmony and balance. I may look at it for several days, questioning and tweaking. I see it as part of the process—which includes being willing to let it go and be done with it.
Although I have spent much of my “artistic adventures” in realism, there has always been a leaning toward abstract art. I feel that abstract art allows me to create work that draws the viewer in, asking them to be involved in the piece, question my intentions. I’m not offended when people examine a piece and try to “make sense” of it. It is, I believe, human nature to label and understand. If for no other reason, people are unsettled by not being able to explain and label. So, they dive into the picture and look for answers. I enjoy sharing that experience with them.
"Broken Promises"
30" x 40" Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas
Original Unavailable but a giclee could be purchased for $600
Frequently Asked Questions
What mediums does Betty use? Answer: Acrylic, Prismacolor Wax Colored Pencils, Collage, Watercolor, Pencil and Charcoal. I have painted with oils but no longer do so. I’ve also used pastels.
How long has she been painting? On and off for 70 years.
Does she paint every day? 4 – 5 days a week, typically 4-6 hours a day.
Where did she receive her training? University of Michigan, private tutors, classes. She has had a mentor for 37 years.
What styles? Mostly Abstract in recent years, but some realism. She started with a classical training background.
Has she exhibited in juried shows? Yes, Ribbons are hanging in the Art Room.
Has she shown in galleries? Yes, but not often and she prefers to sell one-on-one, to know who is buying her pieces and where they are going.
Who are her favorite artists? Kandinsky, Modigliani, Matisse, Vermeer; The Abstract Expressionist from 1940’s & 50’s: Arshile Gorky, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Wilhelm deKooning (later works), Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollock.
Why did she go from Classical to Abstraction? “I ran out of things I wanted to paint. Abstraction begins with a blank canvas and an uncertain destination.”
What is Abstraction? It’s about color, lines, shapes, textures, movement, and connectivity. The artist begins a conversation, and the observer continues it in the way they experience the piece. It is about emotion rather than specificity. It is the most difficult of styles and techniques as the painter must adhere to less obvious principles.
Each of my abstract acrylic paintings explores expressive gestures of color, unique textures, and layering which I hope creates the illusion of energy, movement, and space. My creative process is often driven by my need to reconcile chance, control and chaos, and authenticity. I choose my colors and theme and begin with a random stroke on a blank canvas. Of if I've decided to restrict myself to shapes I may lay in the first, dominant shape. Time and again, I find myself in conversation with the piece, often letting go, and allowing the work to determine its own destiny. Invariably, a “problem’ presents itself and I am challenged by the need to resolve it.
Every once in a while I return to "realism" and paint something special for special people.
"Backstage with Led Zeppelin"
36" x 36" Private Collection
"Who'll Stop the Rain?"
30" x 40" $1,800