Today we’d like to introduce you to Cherie Harte

Hi Cherie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

In 2012 a very dear friend invited me along to an art workshop at a local studio in the east end of Toronto. I was just diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and my 17 year marriage was ending at the time.

Initially, I said no but a loud whisper within me told me it was exactly what I needed. To create!

In 2013 I began painting regularly at ArtEmbassy, an art studio/gallery in Toronto, run by gallery owner Julie McMeekin. A few years into my journey McMeekin suggested an exhibition and we mounted the first solo exhibit of my work “Scratching the Surface” at ArtEmbassy in 2016.

Since that time I have continued to paint, weave and crochet. Exhibiting in Canada, the USA, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore.

In 2021 I moved my studio, and life, from Toronto to a very small town in Eastern Ontario.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Art – like life – is never a smooth road. There are always challenges and obstacles. Working through these challenges is what makes the journey interesting and worthwhile.

I think the biggest challenge overall is trusting myself and believing in my work. Allowing myself to be genuinely me.

Definitely moving from Toronto in 2021 and starting in a new town has been challenging. It meant leaving behind the familiar, including friends and industry relationships, and developing new relationships.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

I am known for painting, drawing, sculpting, weaving, crocheting, and rug hooking. Hearts and written word. I think I would only be a shell of a human without being able to be creative.

Overall; I am most proud of the relationships I have cultivated with myself, my partner, my children and closest friends.
And my ability to listen to my heart whispers and shift gears when something in my life does not feel right.

From a career perspective, I am extremely proud of my hardwork in the art indusctry and all of the places I have exhibited internationally. Staying true to myself and knowing my work resonates with so many people is a gift.

What sets me apart from others is ME. Simply put no one else is me, No one else has my lived experience or my expression of those experiences. I am part of the collective but I am also uniquely me.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?

The best advice I can give is to be authentically you. Take radical responsibility for your own feelings, life and what you create in the time you have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cherieharte.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheriehARTe_studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/art.cherieharte/

Image Credits
Leah Smith
Greg Aspden