About the artist Ria Harboe currently lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest near Bellingham, Washington, where she participates in island studio tours and shows in galleries locally. Artist's Statement I work mainly in two mediums of visual art: painting and clay. Ever since I was a little girl I've been drawing and painting. I was trained in ceramics in college; the clay is earthy stuff that feels good to sculpt, and considering my love of the earth and the natural world, it has always been satisfying for me to work in this way. The paintings require a different approach, working with this flat surface, creating with color and composition. I often refer to my sketchbook for subject matter and ideas - but the painting or sculpture usually takes it's own direction once I'm working. I can get lost in the process of painting or sculpting and the outcome is usually quite surprising. Most of my work is about those things in my life that give me joy: love, music, the natural world; but sometimes the dark side visits my work as well. I've done a lot of traveling in my life and of course the places I've visited, and the experiences I have had, have influenced my work. I have had the pleasure of seeing work of the masters and many artists whose work I've long admired such as Edvard Munch, Vincent Van Gogh, Emily Carr: very inward, swirling, dark. I spent some time down in Antarctica doing seasonal work from 1989 to 2000 - and it was in this place that I could really tap into a reflective space, influenced by light and the lack of light. Antarctica is truly a lonely and stark landscape that I found very inspiring. The effect of the time there still carries through to my current artwork. And as I live in the Pacific Northwest I cannot help but admire my fellow artists, contemporary and past, and I can see the effect of the light here that comes through in these artists' work. It's important to me to notice this beauty here and everywhere and draw from it. The other great influences are in my heritage - my Danish parents - very creative people, my dad the jazz pianist, my mom the artist of many mediums. Their home is filled with art and the sound of music. |
