August's Artist, Rona Harris Takes Us On a Journey

"My introduction into art was when I was 13 and fell into the position of arts and crafts counselor while attending summer camp, teaching the campers art. It was the beginning even though I always wanted to work in the medical world. Being gifted in art, I attended L'Ecole de Beaux Art in Montreal on scholarship. I studied with Dr. Arthur Lismer, a member of the "Group of Seven", at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and became an art teacher. Being a Kindergarten teacher I taught art to the students of the school in the afternoons. I did have the opportunity to work in the medical field and volunteered during the 1967 6-day war in Israel where I worked as a nurse.  After the war the Jewish people regained sovereignty over their holiest site, the Western Wall of the Temple mount, for the first time in 1900 years since the destruction of the temple by the Romans in the year 70 AD. This war and being in Israel inspired me to resume my painting. In 1993 we lost our son, Mitchell, and over the past years I have been appreciating and celebrating his life, keeping his memory alive through my art.

I am able to see the spiritual connection that transpires while I paint and I reminisce. I sit, cut out shapes, birds are formed I think "what can I do, what should I paint?" Each bird representing the dove of peace is special to me as my hope for peace in the Middle East and the world deepens. The dove and the olive branch has much meaning to me. As I apply brush to paint to canvas it just happens; the flow of the paint on the canvas takes form on its own creating a piece that is not seen until the final stroke. And I am at times just as surprised as the first person who looks at it. I know then I have finished."

--Rona Harris

Rona Harris has a sensibility about her techniques and also very multi-faceted. She is strict in her design, her painting and yet it flows so easily as she applies each brush stroke. Her earlier works show an impressionist style leaning to expressionism and yet Picasso. She is able to control, mix the paint layering it, applying it creating works as if she used oil paint. SURPRISE! It isn't! Working in watercolors and acrylics she has this uncanny ability to make the paint look as though she used oils. FASCINATING!

The inspiration she received while caring for the wounded during the 6-day War in 1967 - caring for both Jews and Arabs alike, is quite remarkable. The most poignant piece, the Western Wall - known as the Wailing Wall - is done so brilliantly...capturing spirit that everyone from all walks of life experience as they put their thoughts and prayers in the wall knowing the sanctity of this most holiest site...the purity of something that has been revered for close to 2,000 years. What reverberates is the starkness of the Jewish soldier on guard, bearing arms protecting ALL who approach, willing to give up his life for each one of us so that we may practice a belief that is thousands of years old. Remarkable! Amazing! Although this piece done in 1967, it still represents what is taking place today 45 years after the 6-Day War of 1967.





"Wesetern Wall - 1967"
acrylic
Rona Harris


Her works of The Market Place are contradictory showing in her stone cut black and white print of The Market Place that it is this and that not that it could be something else, but yet she shows there is more to it, that it isn't as cut and dry as it seems through her "Old Man in Market Place" which is full of color, life, and activity that is captured so beautifully.

"Old Man in Market Place"

acrylic

by Rona Harris

But the testament to it all is the soldier bearing arms to protect the market goers puts his shawl on, takes out his prayer book to take a moment to pray.  He trying to find normalcy, in a place full of noise and hectic activity of the day and at the same time it is during a time of such mayhem and chaos one must understand it is just as important as well to find solace an ask for peace...

Her paintings of her son are full of life, of memory, of celebration...she then began a series of replicating the masters, trying her hand once again...the structure is stringent but the flow of color, of deliberate brush strokes had created a master piece of her own! Her stringency has relaxed ..presently her modern, not abstract but it could be, style shows something that has been hidden deep within her own soul...it has been released. The white dove, a sign of peace, is monumental in its meaning and each piece overwhelms you, you can feel it resonate in your own soul.

"Doves Flying Over Jerusalem"

mixed media

by Rona Harris

Perhaps we are at peace, or we seek peace if not for the world maybe a little closer to home that whatever is going on will hopefully resolve itself because there is no more that can be done. Whatever it is, no matter what is being sought or for whom the depth of which it is felt can only be experienced by you.

You can see Rona Harris' mulit-faceted works during the month of August and September - Sobobo Gallery is located at 42 Naugatuck Avenue in Milford; gallery hours are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 6:00 pm....

You should join us on Thursday, August 30th for Rona's exhibit reception. It begins at 7:00 pm and is part of the Art Stroll that begins at Firehouse Gallery at 6:00 pm that evening. We do look forward to seeing you!