She is inspired by nature

 …the story of Carol Harvey

Carol Harvey, a Canadian born artist now based in Zimbabwe is very passionate about art. She never attended any art school yet her drawings have been a beauty to the eyes of many who have come across them at many exhibitions that she has done both locally and abroad.

Besides exhibiting alongside such great names as David Shepherd in Zambia, she has published two Safari Journals – A Guide to Zambian Nature and a children’s book titled Lulu – The Friendly Giraffe.

Homes and Styles Magazine traced her to her residence in Mount Pleasant where she opened her heart to this writer about her works of art and future aspirations.

“I have lived in Africa for more than 20 years and I have been doing art ever since I was a child and it is nature that inspires me – animals, birds, trees, and forests.

“I am also inspired by light and the way light plays on leaves and makes shapes amongst the trees. I like colour formations, rhythms and patterns of nature, anything from a guinea fowl feather to the way darkened light fall on the forest floor,” she said adding that what she draws are inspired but what she sees as she walks in the city or as she walks the dogs,” she enthused poetically.

Motivated by some international gurus in the industry the likes of Wassily Kandirsky, Tom Thompson, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klint and Van Gogh among others, she has now carved her own niche and now develops her own creations.

“As a growing artist, I started by trying to copy those artists that inspired me, but as I grew, I branched off and curved my own path,” she says.

In making her images, Carol uses different media and she started off using watercolours before graduating to linocut then acrylic and oil bars. She now uses pastels.

The artwork that she keeps in her library has different tales. Some are her favourite pieces of art and these include one of  her masterpieces she made from woodcut christened The Family Tree among other drawings neatly hung in frames. She also keeps some experimental works as well as originals of new media of paintings which she will have made. And she also keeps those which she thinks are not good enough.

She is currently working on her new painting titled Sekuru, which is inspired by a homeless man, she always see at Borrowdale traffic lights whom she sometimes gives packages like food and clothing apparel.

Carol has three things that that she has planned for herself to do to live her dream in art.

“Firstly, I want to have my paintings at the Mall Galleries in London, I also want to do myself a website and finally, I want to go abstract, big bold abstract on campus. I am tired of doing realistic images,” said Carol.

She speaks glowingly about Zimbabwean art.

“Of all African countries that I have been to, Zimbabwe has very vibrant art and a great cultural scene. I like local art and love the way the artists are resourceful. They can turn something that anybody else thinks is nothing into something amazing. They are so creative.”

She urged aspiring artists to do art from the heart.

“Art is a way of expressing yourself, it comes from within. Do not copy others but do what you want to do and by so doing you will enjoy it more.” She said.

Carol Harvey’s paintings and drawings can be found at The Picture and Frame at Newlands Shopping Centre, Framing Centre at Semi Levy’s Village in Borrowdale and at Kiki’s in Umwinsdale in Harare.