KELLY HARCUS | studio 214
I’m an explorer and a gatherer. I collect inspiration in photographs, found objects, small moments of joy in the everyday. My background is firmly rooted in craft and much of my inspiration comes from the feel and texture of my materials. I enjoy a multidisciplinary approach, combining materials and techniques from different crafts and visual art forms. Current work includes mixed media on paper, wood and canvas. I have also been exploring plaster work and air dry clay. Textiles are a life long love of mine, so I am usually surrounded by yarn and fabric for a side project.
For me, artist books are the perfect joining of art and craft, allowing me to celebrate the book as object as well as creating the content. It is a form that I fell in love with on first meeting. It has seemed a natural transition for my work, and one that has been well received. I was awarded Entrant of the Year in 2008, in the ‘Inspired by…’ competition run by the Victoria and Albert museums. One of my books, Cloud Sonnets, is in the Artist Book Collection at the Tate Britain as well as the collection at the Winchester School of Art.
While my artist books form the main part of my work, the inspiration behind them takes time to percolate. Photography and sketching form the greatest part of my daily practice. I believe strongly in the importance of visual journaling, not just as an artist, but as a person trying to live the fullest life possible. Pages from my art journals appear in A World of Artist Journal Pages by Dawn D Sokol (2015); Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media by LK Ludwig (2009); and 1001 Artist Journal Pages by Dawn D Sokol (2008).
I created Everyday Joy in 2008, as a way to consolidate the different strands of work I was doing. As varied as my work can be, it is all rooted in my search for the extraordinary in everyday life, single perfect moments and simple pleasures.
