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Norm Harris is a realist artist. Born in country Queensland, the themes of his drawings are reflected by his earlier life in the bush! Norm was brought up on a dairy farm but then his parents later went into grain. So from an early age, Norm has had the farming way of life instilled in him. Always having drawn from an early age, Norm is basically self-taught. It was around ten years ago when he refined some of his skills under the guidance of award winning Graphite Artist – Bill Bonner, of Bundaberg.
Norm, so far, has only utilized the medium of Graphite pencils, as he is able to give fine realism to his drawings. Hours of dedicated work go into producing each drawing. Attention to the fine detail is at the foremost.
Successfully entering exhibitions, winning awards and selling his works has led him to produce exquisite Limited Edition Prints of some of his favourite works to date. They all contain country themes and are adapted from photos that he and his wife have taken over the years!
Norm now takes his art more seriously. Two years ago, Norm left his job in the construction industry, and with his wife, Michelle, decided to travel Australia. During this time they compiled a portfolio of photographs and ideas for compositions for his next series of drawings that will become prints and cards. ”Australia is rich in fauna and flora and has the most inspirational outback culture. I choose themes that inspire me from this great Aussie land- its scenery, characters and my past memories!”
Norm’s latest exhibition can be seen at different months in Regional Art Galleries. This exhibition features his collection of drawings called “Back to the Country”. Norm has taken this exhibition home to his grass roots. At the opening of this exhibition Norm told a story of his early memories in primary school, at the Derri Derra one teacher school west of Mundubbera.”I submitted a drawing task of a teapot, only to be accused by my teacher and some fellow students, that I had traced it!” Norm recalls.
“I have not delved in colour yet as I am so into the shades and tones I can achieve with the graphite pencil.” Norm says he loves the white paper and being able to make it come to life with the pencils. “I love it when you feel you can reach out and feel you can grab what you are drawing. I can make it project off the page!”
Not all drawings make it into a frame or to print. “I may be near the end of a drawing and a particular technique has not worked out, or it just doesn’t look how I feel it should. So, out with the old and in with the new. I could be a hundred hours in or more and not happy with it. So I will start again!”
Norm laments “The colours of the Kimberley, Kakadu and our red centre are sure to get to me sooner or later. But for now I have those colour memories in the photographs we have taken. I will probably delve into colour pencils or watercolours sooner or later!”
Back at home, in suburbia Bundaberg, Norm spends several hours a day on new drawings. These will be for exhibitions and competitions for next year as submissions are accepted. New projects at hand, a new website to promote his skills as an emerging graphite artist, are taken care of by his wife. “I just draw. The business of art is something else!” Norm now has invitations to hold workshops and do commissions.
Norm’s children so aptly named him “Pencil Monsta” because of his love of graphite drawing and his vast collection and love of these pencils!
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