Interview with Featured Artist Lisa Harris
Lisa, tell us about your dreams for your art.
“Creating a piece of art can move emotions and heal your soul,” says Lisa Harris, Denver native, Artist, Registered Nurse and Therapeutic Touch Practitioner. “My life is art.”
Lisa recently retired from her 43-year nursing career, asserts she will always be a nurse, AND will never stop doing art.
When did you first realize making art was important to you?
“I had artistic parents.” Dad created beautiful gardenscapes and taught her to use all the tools in the workshop; her mother was a seamstress and tailor and taught the girls to sew their own clothes, string beads, knit, counted cross stitch and other hand work. Embroidery and making French knots are Lisa’s favorite. Lisa still has little clay birds she crafted when she was four or five.
“In addition to my parents, I’m grateful for the daily grounding in the arts I received from the Denver Public Schools. Not all schools today provide the arts, a huge loss for today’s children.” Harris also learned crafts from the Campfire Girls, remembering an award she received for a papier-mâché’.
Harris loved making art with her own children as well; tempera paints, Easter baskets, carving pumpkins and stringing macaroni brought joy. She still enjoys exploring new art forms, such as her recent crafting of a moosehide drum.
Picasso had a “Blue Period.” Do you have a favorite color for your art?
“Bright, bold primary colors, always! Jewel tones, and of course I love to add sparkle!”
Tell us a bit about your career.
As a Nurse Educator, M.S. Harris has followed the path of a lifelong learner, including becoming a Therapeutic Touch Practitioner and Certified Death Doula. “These are my hands, Source, take them and use them for your highest good.” Developmental Pediatrics was like “going to work to play”, working in the Emergency Department, and providing nursing support and advice over the telephone. She spent 27 years working for Kaiser Permanente in Denver. She is a Nightingale Award for Nursing Excellence nominee.
How about fun?
Lisa enjoyed a Forensic Sculpture class from Denver Free University, combining her love of medicine and her love of making art. Her son Greg Harris is a graphic design/animater and silversmith. Her son Chris recently passed away. Lisa loves to sing in many types of choirs. She sang in “The Magic Flute” with the University of Colorado Concert Choir, and recently sang with Voices Rock, a community choir in Denver. She credits her parents with her love of music. “We sang before we could talk and danced before we could walk.”
What’s next for you?
“Continued growth and development. Now that I’m retired, I have time to do what I love. I’m honoring the gifts I’ve been given and listening to my intuition for inspiration. I’m excited about working with Abi Cunningham to have my art displayed on clothes, scarves, mugs, and canvases, too!”
Which things in the Lovely and Strong Lisa Harris Collection do you like the best?
“I love The Skiers in the aurora borealis, The Ship, and Bouquet of Flowers. The cat sitting on the gravestone is a Halloween favorite. Who knows what creation will pop up next, perhaps even a jewelry collection?”
What's up for Christmas?
I love all my designs in the Christmas store. Winter brings many different traditions to celebrate love and the return of light. I love the snow, the nip on my nose, and icicles dangling from the eaves. My tradition of honoring Winter Solstice and Christmas celebrates renewal of light against the darkest of days. A dark canvas illuminates northern lights, glistening snow, and vibrant colors.
I am buying ornaments and Christmas cards right now before Thanksgiving!