Sharp-Focused Realism
About Gloria Harper

Awed and inspired by the pristine quality of the country and quietness of the Northern Idaho winters of her childhood, Gloria Harper was driven by an insatiable desire to learn to paint so that she might capture the wonderful feeling of rural living and share some small part of its joy with others.

Her first training came through a fine art correspondence course, then she went on to study commercial art and more fine art.  When that still didn’t satisfy her insatiable desire for learning, she found art schools, portrait schools and more portrait schools to teach her what she wanted to know.  Finally, she developed a style which can be characterized as sharp focused realism.

A consummate wildlife artist, her favorite subjects are the deer, elk, and cougar she drew as a youngster.  But Gloria has also evolved as a diverse artist who creates exceptional landscape, still life, floral and nautical works as well.

Her beautiful landscapes sing of a love for the great outdoors.  “Nature,” she believes, “allows us to exercise all our senses, and can bring us closer to out creator and make us better people if we let it.”

She deems it a “special treat” to observe animals in the wild and is always thrilled by the sight of “an excited deer snorting, or the beauty of the morning sun rising, and small-wood creatures waddling through the grass.”

To more accurately depict the varied subjects that interest her, Gloria also become expert in the use of several media.  Working primarily in oil on canvas, which she uses to create exact- likeness celebrity portraits such as her inimitable John Wayne (one of her popular self-published limited edition prints ), she is equally at home with watercolor and soft pastels.

Another of Gloria’s talents is that of a teacher.  By virtue of her endless store of knowledge, patience, gentleness, and a delightful sense of humor, her classes are filled with students who not only learn a great deal by also have fun.

Yet despite owning and operating an art school, gallery and art supply store, Gloria never fails to reserve time for her own creativity.  Producing between ten and twelve paintings a year is at the very top of her list of priorities.

As she professes,”When there is a painting burning inside you, you simply must make sure that there is adequate time  allotted to create.”

Today, collectors are buying Gloria”s works on a regular basis, and her accomplishments have drawn national and international attention to publications like Wildlife Art News, U.S. Art, and Art of the West.  She has been included in Marquis Who’s Who and American Biographical Institute’s numerous  volumes, and has  receivednumerous awards and honors recognizing her as an excellent artist and educator. 

But these accolades have not gone to Gloria’s head.  Exhibiting great wisdom and humility, she sets a sterling example for her pupils as she continues to upgrade her knowledge of painting by trying to learn from artists who are masterly in their genre and whose work she admires.

The attitude she imparts is that there should never be a time when you think you know all there is to know bout art or anything else.  Accordingly, she believes that sharing her knowledge with her students helps to keep her own skills sharp.

While leading the life she loves as a notable Northwest artist, Gloria Harper derives the most satisfaction in her work from recording first-hand the wonders of nature.

Back to Gloria's Page