We were lucky to catch up with Harrison Colvin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Harrison, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Having grown up in Austin, Texas I was used to living in a big city, working multiple jobs to afford rent, and sitting in traffic for hours at a time. I have always loved art. I drew through my classes in high school and filled sketchbooks with doodles, but once I started working I lost the time I had once had and left my drawing supplies to gather dust in my desk. When Austin went into lockdown and I was stuck at home I began painting portraits of my friends that I wasn’t able to see. My passion was reignited! I decided to move to Chattanooga, a city I had never been to before, in a state I had never considered living in, to give myself a chance to embrace my artistic abilities. I didn’t know how large of an artistic scene there was here when I first moved – I simply wanted to be able to work less and live in a larger house that I would have space to create in. It was definitely a hard adjustment… leaving behind loved friends and familiarity can be depressing. I worked a production line bakery job for a year before I couldn’t stand it anymore. At the beginning of 2022 I quit my corporate job and was unemployed for the second time. I began doing art commissions more seriously, using instagram and facebook to find work. I interviewed with a handful of different jobs, but nothing stuck. I wanted something that allowed me to keep my sanity, even if that meant going broke in the process.
In late March I got a job with a family owned cheese shop as their Art Director and cheesemonger. Pairing this with markets on Saturdays, I finally found the flow I needed in my life. 2022 is coming to an end now. I am working hard making new art projects that push my creativity. Holiday markets are in full swing. I have rebuilt my savings account and found a community of fellow creatives. I am so grateful for the ability to live my everyday life intertwined with my art.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a multimedia artist, working primarily with procreate digital portraits and papermache. I also dabble in clay sculpture, embroidery, acrylic painting, window murals, and collage. I want my drawings to feel personal and human. I have often been told at markets that my drawings invoke a sense of warmth; celebration of the female form in a nonsexual way that rejoices in it’s natural state. I want to make people see themselves dancing, loving, and even mourning and grieving. We live in such difficult times.. we are surrounded by death and despair and I feel it’s important to embrace our grief, acknowledge it’s heavy presence, and then surround ourselves in our community and find happiness. I believe my work allows that emotion to pour through. We are not so alone in this world when we surround ourselves with images of others who feel the same way we do.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Having been someone with thousands of followers, taking brand deals, and essentially being an influencer I can confidently say that that is not how I found my niche. I only have 150 followers on instagram to date and yet I am always busy with commissions, making prints, and creating new designs to sell. When we allow our creative energy to be drained by technology instead of genuine connection I feel the creative process is tainted. It becomes “what will sell” “what do people look for” “what do I see others doing” instead of raw, genuine, lived emotion. I draw now when I am upset, happy, or simply inspired by nature. I post about my life in my instagram stories as if I was talking to my friends in a groupchat. My followers talk to me regularly. My posts are shared with love and kind comments. Making these connections, meeting people face-to-face and hearing their own interpretations of my drawings can never be replaced with a high follower count. I love where I am at in my community and I believe growing organically is the purest form of love I can show my work.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
It can often feel isolating to be a creative. Others cannot see into your head and when you verbally try to express an idea it can be frustrating trying to convey the image you want to create. Having people stop and admire my work truly fills my heart with warmth. I often hear “I have to take a picture of this for my friend/family member! They will love it!” and I know every time that happens that I am in the right place in life. I am creating a space of understanding for that person. For someone to see themselves or those they love in my art is my ultimate goal. In those moments I feel like there is so much love in the world and I am helping tend the hearth.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Cowboy.Crucifixion