Young Talent V: Christopher Harris

Christopher Harris 2 - small — Christopher Harris - The Singer (2009), mixed media on paper

Christopher Harris was born on April 12, 1974. He attended the Guanabo Vale All Age School in the parish of St. Catherine. He started out as an artist in 2000. In his own words: “I used to do sculpture for a year but while around my art teacher [Keith Reece otherwise known as Uhuru] I analysed most of his paintings; I spoke to him more than once that I would like to start painting. He said he didn’t want to make a style for me but wanted me to develop a style for myself. I used to do some farming and from that I bought a paint set and that’s where I started. He lent me photographs of houses… not art pictures but just natural pictures… and I used to do some country houses from it. That’s why at first I did so many ‘house pictures’ because really houses were the first thing I started to paint. I do a wide range of scenes but I am not competing with a camera when you see my art you will know that it is a natural art. As an April person I am a great lover of music so most of my paintings are emulating and portraying music. I don’t plan out my works I just start sketching and when it is complete I name the work based off of the original sketch.”

(Based on an interview with O’Neil Lawrence)