N.S. artist enjoys capturing beauty of architecture, nature
Editor’s Note
The “Makers” feature is a weekly look at Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs who are tapping into the creative marketplace. If you know of a local, creative business owner that should be featured email: Jennifer.little@ saltwire.com. To read more “Makers” features, visit: saltwire.com.
Kelly Harding has always painted, but it wasn’t until about 15 years ago that she started to sell her art.
At that time, Harding was living in Woodstock, Ont., and a fellow artist asked her to join her in her studio for the Oxford Studio Tour. This event invites the public to visit as many studios as they can that are located throughout Oxford County and meet the artists, watch demonstrations, and experience a world of art.
Harding has been selling her art ever since.
Although she had been living in Ontario for 30 years, she and her husband sold everything and moved to Ecuador for two years, and then to Portugal for three years after that. From Portugal, the couple moved to Yarmouth, N.S. where they reside today.
Here in Yarmouth, Harding has continued her artful pursuits. She is well-known for doing a lot of commissioned house portraits, or paintings of buildings, like stores, but says she also loves painting flowers, trees, leaves, and items in nature.
She works mostly in watercolour, but uses both watercolour and ink when creating house portraits or urban art.
Harding says she has been doing very well with the commissioned house portraits, and loves doing these. They are fun and have a bit of whimsy to them. They make great gifts for that hard to buy for person, she adds.
Harding explains that her watercolour paintings are mostly done on paper that is stretched over a canvas and then the finished piece is varnished with an acrylic medium to seal and protect the painting. These paintings do not need framing in the traditional way, with mat and glass, and can hang like any other artwork on canvas. It makes them feel a little more contemporary, said Harding, allowing her to paint a bit larger.
NATURALLY ARTISTIC
Being creative is in her bones. Harding says she has been creating art since she was a child.
“I love creating things. When I feel stuck for something to paint, I usually bake something,” she says.
Harding says she started taking art classes as a child with “a lovely woman, Mrs. Carmichael, who taught art classes to children in her home.” She went on to take art classes in high school at Wexford CI Vocational Art School in Toronto.
Besides that, Harding says she does not have any formal art training beyond high school and considers herself mostly self-taught, although she has taken some classes and workshops over the years.
Today, Harding is working on trying to make her art business a full-time endeavour.
When not making art, she is happiest outside, hiking, beach walking and gardening. She says she’s always looking for inspiration for future paintings.
In the future, she would love to continue doing commissioned house portraits, as she really enjoys making them. She says she is trying to build up that side of her art business.
She works from photographs and says she can easily ship the finished product.
Throughout the month of April, Harding has been displaying her artwork at TH’YARC in Yarmouth.
Having always been involved in local community theatre, when she discovered that TH’YARC holds art shows in the lobby, Harding quickly inquired and got the April slot. The show will remain for the month during regular hours at TH’YARC. After the April show wraps up, her work can be seen at the Yarmouth Creatives in the Yarmouth Mall.
Otherwise, Harding’s art can be viewed or purchased from her website, kellyhardingart.com. She can ship anywhere Canada Post goes.