Artell Harris
Artell Harris grew up hunting and fishing with his family in Idaho, and declares that he “always loved nature.” Artell puts his passion for the outdoors into his paintings, and since 1968 he has been conveying that love through his artwork.
Harris found painting to be a relaxing hobby when he was a building contractor for 30 years. Over this period, landscape oils became a passion, and whenever the opportunity provided itself, you would find him “out and about” in nature capturing his favorite spots. Not only does he paint panoramic scenes such as the Grand Canyon or the Grand Tetons; but he is also drawn to those serendipitous scenes which can happen within 100 feet of you, such as a clear mountain stream with its multitude of colors and reflections. This is what he considers “the cubby holes of nature.”
Transplanted from Idaho to Utah via California, the Mapleton artist’s favorite subject to paint is water (rivers, lakes, or waterfalls). “It is my goal to paint not only the depth of the water, but also the reflections of light and sky. If I accomplish that, then I feel I have captured the true beauty of a scene.” As a traditional painter, he is a realist who finds great pleasure in making water look authentic, capturing a sunset moment, creating red rock cliffs, or shady mountain forests.
Artell paints the beauties that surround us, from the California and Oregon coastlines to the Grand Tetons of Wyoming. He loves the out-of-doors and wants to share that beauty. His artwork has been on exhibit in numerous galleries throughout the Western United States. He started showing in state fairs such as the Eastern Idaho State Fair, the Freedom Festival in Provo, Utah, and Swiss Days in Midway, Utah. He has shown in art galleries in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, California, and has shown for the last several years in Rive Gauche Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Most recently he has had a one-man showing at the Covey Center for the Arts.
As an artist, one of Artell’s goals is to paint oil landscapes so that the art enthusiast will be reminded of places they would love to visit, memories from their childhood, or where they have been on vacation. “I would like people to appreciate my paintings for the feelings they invoke.”
