By Jennifer Ferrero
Artist Keith Harrop will premier "The Whimsical World of Keith Harrop, celebrating a Victorian Christmas" at Liberty Gallery in the downtown Liberty Building from November 26 - to December 30.
Harrop said, " Life can be so hard for us all sometimes. I want to bring something new and magical to people. Bring back a sense of wonderment and possibilities."
Harrop loved art as a child. "I’ve been drawing my entire life. Every night when I was a child back in England, We would sit around the ’telly,’ as everyone else watched whatever was on. I would get my little tray of paper and pencils and draw, draw, draw. I became known for doing that."
He's lived in Post Falls for 10 years with his wife.
One thing he loves about exhibiting his work is meeting and talking to his customers, "I like seeing their reactions. People seem to smile a lot and often have strong, positive responses to my art. I’ve had people grinning broadly, laughing, snickering, snorting….(yes, I‘ve had snorters) …..and sometimes even crying. That’s true."
He added, "I have had to comfort and hug some people. I don’t know what was going on internally, but something was unlocked within them, Some release. It’s lovely when that happens."
He is proud of bringing positivity to people. "My art is all about trying to bring back a simplicity that innocence that we must still be searching for within our lives, something that animals still retain."
He added, "My artwork is simply pencil on paper. I'm fascinated with vintage Victorian photos. Perhaps it's with me being British. I think that the Victorians showed how they wanted us to see them. But despite their unflinching seriousness, they often let their true personality shine through."
Thinking through his process, he said, "I often begin by thinking about what type of animal I want to draw. What the personality of that animal might be. It's the social class of the time. It's (human) body type. Each of my characters is carefully selected. I give names and background stories for them all. Some have long, complicated histories."
Learn more about the artist by visiting the Gallery during the holidays.
Contact info:
email: info@keithharrop.com
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