Meet Harper; an 8-year-old artist with her very own art exhibit at World Forestry Center. Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe and art teacher, Devon Mitchell, Harper has been drawing and painting her natural surroundings for as long as she can remember. We recently had a chance to catch up with this awesome NW Kid where she told us about her favorite things, what she’s proudest of and her wish for the future. You can see more of Harper’s Trees showcased at WFC’s Discovery Museum Gift Store now through February 28th.
What is your favorite color?
My favorite color is green.
What do you like to do for fun?
Read, write, draw, paint
One word to describe me would be:
unique (or as she wrote it “unequau”).
What is your favorite thing to do and why?
Paint because it’s relaxing.
What inspired you to start drawing trees?
I have a painting at my house of a tree by Georgia O’Keeffe that I’ve been looking at my whole life.
In the future, what do you think you will be doing ten years from now?
Being an author and an illustrator and selling art.
When I grow up I want to be an:
Artist.
What is one of your favorite things to do in Portland?
Go to the Portland Child Art Studio. (She is also a big fan of Powell’s City of Books, Moonstruck Chocolate on NW23rd, Cool Moon Ice Cream on NW11th, loves Jamison Square, going to the art museum and Piazza Italia on NW Johnson. Pretty much her perfect day would be to go and make art at PCAS, eat lunch at Piazza Italia, play in the fountain at Jamison Square, get some ice cream at Cool Moon, walk down to Blick for some art supplies, maybe look at a gallery on the walk down to Powell’s and then buy a bunch of books.)
My wish is:
I want to make a living out of making and selling art.
If I could go anywhere, I would go to:
New York City so I could see lots of art and tall buildings.
What are you proudest of?
My most recent pastel of a tree with lots of rainbows in the leaves. (It’s the work that is on her postcards and posters for the recent show.)
I really look up to:
Devon Mitchell. She’s my art teacher.
The best thing about me is:
My art. (I would add that she’s remarkably humble and kind. Her sister Esmé says that she’s inspired by Harper‘s determination.)
Can you tell us about your art exhibit?
It was really busy but really fun. There were at least 100 people at the artist’s reception! (The exhibit has 15 tree works by Harper and one bird! They are in all different media, like pastel, acrylic and pencil. They are works from the past three years or so.)
What advice do you have for other kids who want to do what you do?
Practice. Do art all the time :).
You can view a slideshow of Harper and her artwork here: https://www.youtube.
