Colored Pencil Artwork by Carol Harris Comes to the Tualatin Library for Fall 2022

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Carol Harris
Carol Harris
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If you were lucky, you had an art program in school and became familiar with colored pencils. It is the kind of art supply that allows a child to gain skill and manual dexterity while laying down color with without breaking the budget. Most people don’t realize, there are many fantastic artists who make a career of using colored pencils to create beautiful “paintings.” 

Tucker
Tucker

The Living Room Gallery in Tualatin is pleased to present the colored pencil artwork of Carol Harris beginning now through the end of the year. Carol is a well-loved artist and teacher in this medium, and you will enjoy her animal portraits and many other fine still life and botanical pieces.

The drawing medium used by fine artists like Carol is different and better than what children use in school because these colored pencils don’t incorporate graphite like ordinary writing pencils. Good colored pencils have an oil- or wax-based core and, like paint, produce color through a combination of pigments and binders. If the pencil core is a buttery-soft wax and has more pigment than binders,  it will be easier to work with and render more pleasing results. With colored pencils, artists can achieve everything from high realism to fanciful expression. 

Carol says, “I have loved art since I was a little kid smelling a coffee can full of crayons sitting in the sun. I spent my life drawing with graphite pencils, coloring with crayons and markers, making paper dolls, cutting, gluing, using pen and ink, photo retouching, creating the latest fashions, sculpting, architectural rendering, charcoal, pottery, acrylics, pastels, oils, watercolors, calligraphy and then along came COLORED PENCILS! An art tool such as these lowly little wooden sticks with color inside allowed me to refine my art, pay attention to detail, apply layer upon layer to achieve a richness with depth, and then still find more ways to push color around on a variety of papers.”

Working with colored pencils requires patience and time. It takes a certain personality and determination to lay down color with colored pencils, blend, and shade, and do it again. The effects achieved are like no other medium in richness, velvety texture, and depth. 

Carol is one of those people who smile. She radiates goodness and warmth. She has served on the Board of the Keizer Art Association and acted as Education Chair since 2005. She teaches Colored Pencil classes at KAA and enjoys a wide reputation and devoted following of students.

Born in Baker, Oregon, Carol went to OSU and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Art and a Master’s Degree in Education at WOU with a specialization in extreme learning problems in children. After settling in Salem, she married, had a daughter, and taught elementary school for 31 years. Because her energy is boundless, she also became a cherry farmer and then a hay farmer. During 40 years of marriage, she and husband Keith skied in the winter and sailed in the summer. In addition to all this, Carol acquired a huge 4-H Horse Club where she is Leader and Polk County 4-H Horse Superintendent. Carol’s interests are family, art, traveling, gardening, horses, dogs, and volunteering. Most of all, she loves playing with grandkids Ben and Addilyn. 

You can be in touch with Carol at Mowog@aol.com if you’d like to learn more about her art or classes. This program is sponsored in part by the Tualatin Arts Advisory Committee. If you would like to learn more about this program, contact Angela Wrahtz at angela.wrahtz@comcast.net